Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.
The Return from England
By AnonymousF
All the land that lies between,
Knight and squire in brave array
Spurring for the field are seen,
Summoned by the duchess’ son
To the Saxon war begun.
From all Bretagne trooping fast
O’er the foaming seas they haste.
I have begged his stay in vain;
But one child I had—and, lo!
He has followed in their train.
Kerlaz’ maids began their song,
In my ear their accents rung,
Of my absent son they sung:
Ah, Silvestre! where art thou?
Art thou on the foaming deep
Many hundred leagues away,
Dost thou midst the surges sleep,
To the ravening fish a prey!
Hadst thou been content to stay,
Lead the life thy father led,
Thou wert happy as the day
Thou hadst been betrothed and wed,
Wed to Manna, fairest maid,
She to whom thy vows were paid:
Then thou wouldst have lived to see
Children climbing round thy knee,
Children with their merry din
Letting joy and pleasure in.’
Of the rock, there loves to dwell,
Close concealed, a pigeon white,
Him I ’ll from his nest invite;
On his neck of ivory
Will a letter safely lie,
With my bridal ribbon bound
All his silver feathers round:
That shall call my son once more,
And my Silvestre shall restore.
Rise upon thy wings of snow,
Fly far o’er the stormy sea,
Bid my son return to me.
Fly where battle’s thunders sound,
Gaze with piercing eye around,
Go,—midst carnage fierce and wild,
Bring me tidings of my child!”
Wont amidst the wood to be;
Now he skims the waters nigh,
Now he seeks the mast so high!”
Letters I have brought to thee.”
Bid my father be of cheer,
For three years and but a day
Keeps me from their arms away.”
But Silvestre came no more!
Now my latest hopes are gone,
Never shall we meet again!
If the loud and stormy main
Cast thy bones upon the strand,
I will watch them float to land,
Gather them,—how tenderly!
Kiss them, cherish them,—and die!”
And a Breton flag it bore,
Soon the rocky bay it neared
And a wreck it reached the shore.
Helm and oars and rudder lost,
Mast and sails all split and torn,
Beaten on that rugged coast,
On the surging breakers borne.
Whence it comes no tongue can say,
Nor how long that fated bark
Had been tossed by tempests dark;
And Silvestre there reposed,—
But no friend his eyes had closed,
No fond mother’s tender voice
Bade him at the last rejoice,
No kind father’s soothing care,—
He was lying lifeless—there!