Landon in The Literary Gazette 1828/The Dying Spaniard's Charge

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2342740Landon in The Literary Gazette 1828The Dying Spaniard’s Charge1828Letitia Elizabeth Landon

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Literary Gazette, 26th April, 1828, Page 267


ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE DYING SPANIARD’S CHARGE

From the Mountains overlooking Granada.

My gasping breath, I feel thee fail:
    My gallant boy, draw near—
Brush off the dew that dims thy mail;
    For shame, it is a tear!

Here, take my sword; as yet the brand
    Has never miss'd its blow:
God prosper it in thy young hand
    Against the Moslem foe!

Lift up my head—my parting gaze
    On yonder vale would be;
Facing the red sun's fading rays,
    I speak my last to thee.

Look thou upon the plain below,
    With field and vineyard spread;
And glory, like the morning's glow,
    Around yon city's head.

A thousand shrubs in blossom wreathe
    Round fountains bright and clear;—
I almost fancy I can breathe
    Their gushing fragrance here.

Then mark the rock on which we lie,
    The eagle's rough domain;
Its barren earth, its sullen sky,—
    Then look below again.

That valley is thy heritage!
    Could Eden be more fair?—
Although an exile in my age,
    I spent my boyhood there.

Ours was the shame, and ours the loss;
    Carnage and conquest spread:
The Crescent triumphed o'er the Cross,—
    Well may thy cheek grow red.


Still have a few in warfare stood
    Around the mountain brow;—
I have not spared my strength and blood—
    And I am dying now!

But other, better days are thine:—
    My hopes are proud and high,
And clearly does the future shine
    Before death's closing eye.

I see the gallant red Cross wave,
    I see the Moslems yield;
I hear the war-cry of the brave—
    Haste, boy, and join the field!

Here make my grave; and haunting here,
    My spirit will remain,
Till, vanquished by the Christian spear,
    The Moors have fled from Spain.
L. E. L.