Page:Poems Rossetti.djvu/242

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214
IN THE ROUND TOWER AT JHANSI
But nameless as I stand,
My hand is my own hand,
And nameless as I came
I go to the dark land.

"All equal in the grave"—
I bide my time till then:
"All equal before God"—
To-day I feel His rod,
To-morrow He may save:
      Amen.


IN THE ROUND TOWER AT JHANSI.
June 3, 1857.

A HUNDRED, a thousand to one; even so;
Not a hope in the world remained:
The swarming howling wretches below
Gained and gained and gained.

Skene looked at his pale young wife:"
Is the time come?"—"The time is come!"—
Young, strong, and so full of life:
The agony struck them dumb.

Close his arm about her now,
Close her cheek to his,
Close the pistol to her brow—
God forgive them this!