Ever since I first read "Edinburgh After Flodden" in school, I have loved it. The rhythm of William E. Aytoun's poetry fascinated me and I would go about with the lines ringing through my mind all day long. It is not an overly famous poem (at least, not now) but it deserves more recognition than it has yet had. Herein I have presented my favorite bits. You can read the
whole of the poem here.
| NEWS of battle!—news of battle! | |
| Hark! ’tis ringing down the street: | |
| And the archways and the pavement | |
| Bear the clang of hurrying feet. | |
| News of battle? Who hath brought it? | 5 |
| News of triumph? Who should bring | |
| Tidings from our noble army, | |
| Greetings from our gallant King? | |
| All last night we watched the beacons | |
| Blazing on the hills afar, | 10 |
| Each one bearing, as it kindled, | |
| Message of the opened war. | |
| All night long the northern streamers | |
| Shot across the trembling sky: | |
| Fearful lights, that never beckon | 15 |
| Save when kings or heroes die |
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If that doesn't make you want to give your hand to king and country, you have not a single spark of patriotism.
| For they see in battered harness | 25 |
| Only one hard-stricken man, | |
| And his weary steed is wounded, | |
| And his cheek is pale and wan. | |
| Spearless hangs a bloody banner | |
| In his weak and drooping hand— |
Such a sad, beautiful description.This poem is full of ringing, poingant sorrow and yet a certain flavor of triumph. Here is one last bit to send you on your way...
| “No one failed him! He is keeping | 105 |
| Royal state and semblance still; | |
| Knight and noble lie around him, | |
| Cold on Flodden’s fatal hill. | |
| Of the brave and gallant-hearted, | |
| Whom ye sent with prayers away, | 110 |
| Not a single man departed | |
| From his monarch yesterday. | |
| Had you seen them, O my masters! | |
| When the night began to fall, | |
| And the English spearmen gathered | 115 |
| Round a grim and ghastly wall! |
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