| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Ebenezer Elliott. 1781–1849 |
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| 587. Battle Song |
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| DAY, like our souls, is fiercely dark; | |
| What then? 'Tis day! | |
| We sleep no more; the cock crows—hark! | |
| To arms! away! | |
| They come! they come! the knell is rung | 5 |
| Of us or them; | |
| Wide o'er their march the pomp is flung | |
| Of gold and gem. | |
| What collar'd hound of lawless sway, | |
| To famine dear— | 10 |
| What pension'd slave of Attila, | |
| Leads in the rear? | |
| Come they from Scythian wilds afar, | |
| Our blood to spill? | |
| Wear they the livery of the Czar? | 15 |
| They do his will. | |
| Nor tassell'd silk, nor epaulet, | |
| Nor plume, nor torse— | |
| No splendour gilds, all sternly met, | |
| Our foot and horse. | 20 |
| But, dark and still, we inly glow, | |
| Condensed in ire! | |
| Strike, tawdry slaves, and ye shall know | |
| Our gloom is fire. | |
| In vain your pomp, ye evil powers, | 25 |
| Insults the land; | |
| Wrongs, vengeance, and the Cause are ours, | |
| And God's right hand! | |
| Madmen! they trample into snakes | |
| The wormy clod! | 30 |
| Like fire, beneath their feet awakes | |
| The sword of God! | |
| Behind, before, above, below, | |
| They rouse the brave; | |
| Where'er they go, they make a foe, | 35 |
| Or find a grave. | |
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