St David’s Day Poem

ST. DAVIDS DAY. [On the day of St. David, the Patron of Wales, the Welsh gained a victory over the English. In the battle, every man distinguished himself by wearing a leek; and the leek is still worn by Welshmen on the anniversaries of St. David, in memory of their conquest.

 IT is the day of battle won,
The good St. David's Day,
When Britons chased, at set ef sun,
Their Saxon foes away
But why, where Victory weeps her gain,
Should verdure wreathe the brow?
The record of the conquered slain
Should be a withered bough!
Such days are fled Time grows too old,
His out-worn sword to wield;
 And braver words than e'er were told,
Show graven on his shield.
Now, round his temples bare he binds
A crown, that saints might wear;
And, casting down the laurel, winds
The olive in his hair. Now, by the leek the red rose flowers,
And hate and strife are o'er
A better, noblei badge is ours,
Than e'er St. David wore!
Each quaint device the warrior wears The warrior's arm may nerve:—
Give me the princely brow that bears 'I he beautiful- ‘I SERVE!’
0! Love's is still the gentler yoke !—
Fools storm at Heaven's gates
But they, too, "serve"-the blind bard spoke—
‘Who only stand and wait."
Old Chivalry, with lance in rest,
The soul no longer warms,
His earlier task was still the best—
To watch beside his arms.
So let us stand, and watch, and wait
God's call in this our day,
Nor force upon the old blind Fate
The wreathing of the bay.
So shall a higher holier will
Our hearts within us nerve,
While bearing for our motto still
The beautiful-" I SERYE "

--MRS. T. K. HBRVEY.

Monmouthshire Merlin, 18 March 1853 (Supplement) page 2

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