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DUST TO DUST.
Heaved his last sigh where greedy cannon mouths
Had drank all the sweet air, and left but death.
Had drank all the sweet air, and left but death.
No gentle hands to touch his clammy brow,
No tender kisses on his silent lips,
No voice of love to soothe his failing ear,
No kiss to close his eyes in death's eclipse.
No tender kisses on his silent lips,
No voice of love to soothe his failing ear,
No kiss to close his eyes in death's eclipse.
Leave me alone! words are of little worth
That fall on deafened ears! leave me alone!
Your comfortings mean well: take thanks, and go!
What use to waste your breath upon a stone?
That fall on deafened ears! leave me alone!
Your comfortings mean well: take thanks, and go!
What use to waste your breath upon a stone?
DUST TO DUST.
Silence all around us,
Camp-fires burning low;
Stern and gaunt, the sentries
On their slow beat go.
Camp-fires burning low;
Stern and gaunt, the sentries
On their slow beat go.
Here in early twilight,
Under sparkle of stars,
We have gathered in silence,
Men of battle and scars,
Under sparkle of stars,
We have gathered in silence,
Men of battle and scars,
Gathered to bury a comrade,
Only a raw recruit;
Lying ghastly before us,
Stirless, and pale, and mute.
Only a raw recruit;
Lying ghastly before us,
Stirless, and pale, and mute.
