Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79.
Wellesbourne and Charlcote Ford
By Sir Henry Taylor (1800–1886)B
At break of day I saw a sword.
Wessex warriors, rank by rank,
Rose on Avon’s hither bank;
Mercia’s men in fair array
Looked at them from Marraway;
Close and closer ranged they soon,
And the battle joined at noon.
I heard a sound as of the sea;
Thirty thousand rushing men,
Twenty thousand met by ten;
Rang the shield and brake the shaft,
Tosty yelled, Harcather laughed;
Thorough Avon’s waters red
Chased by ten the twenty fled.
I saw the moon’s pale face forlorn,
River flowed and rushes sighed,
Wounded warriors groaned and died.
Ella took his early rest,
The raven stood on his white breast;
Hoarsely in the dead man’s ear
Raven whispered, “Friend, good cheer!
Ere the winter pinch the crow
He that slew thee shall lie low.”