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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79.

Spain: Gibraltar

Gibraltar

By Richard Chenevix Trench (1807–1886)

ENGLAND, we love thee better than we know,—

And this I learned, when, after wanderings long

Mid people of another stock and tongue,

I heard again thy martial music blow,

And saw thy gallant children to and fro

Pace, keeping ward at one of those huge gates

Which, like twin-giants, watch the Herculean straits:

When first I came in sight of that brave show,

It made my very heart within me dance,

To think that thou thy proud foot shouldst advance

Forward so far into the mighty sea;

Joy was it and exultation to behold

Thine ancient standard’s rich emblazonry,

A glorious picture by the wind unrolled.