Explore "The Standard-Bearer (Narrative Poems)" by Henry Van Dyke on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
I. "How can I tell," Sir Edmund said, / "Who has the right or the wrong o' this thing?
Cromwell stands for the people's cause, / Charles is crowned by the ancient laws; / English meadows are sopping red, / Englishmen striking each other dead, -- / Times are black as a raven's wing.
Out of the ruck and the murk I see / Only one thing!
The King has trusted his banner to me, / And I must fight for the King."
II. Into the thick of the Edgehill fight / Sir Edmund rode with a shout; and the ring / Of grim-faced, hard-hitting Parliament men / Swallowed him up, -- it was one against ten!
He fought for the standard with all his might, / Never again did he come to sight -- / Victor, hid by the raven's wing!
After the battle had passed we found / Only one thing, -- / The hand of Sir Edmund gripped around / The banner-staff of his King.
1914.