Men Who March Away Poem by Thomas Hardy

Men Who March Away

Rating: 3.0


Song of the Soldiers

What of the faith and fire within us
Men who march away
Ere the barn-cocks say
Night is growing gray,
To hazards whence no tears can win us;
What of the faith and fire within us
Men who march away!

Is it a purblind prank, O think you,
Friend with the musing eye
Who watch us stepping by,
With doubt and dolorous sigh?
Can much pondering so hoodwink you?
Is it a purblind prank, O think you,
Friend with the musing eye?

Nay. We see well what we are doing,
Though some may not see --
Dalliers as they be --
England's need are we;
Her distress would leave us rueing:
Nay. We well see what we are doing,
Though some may not see!

In our heart of hearts believing
Victory crowns the just,
And that braggarts must
Surely bite the dust,
Press we to the field ungrieving,
In our heart of hearts believing
Victory crowns the just.

Hence the faith and fire within us
Men who march away
Ere the barn-cocks say
Night is growing gray,
To hazards whence no tears can win us;
Hence the faith and fire within us
Men who march away.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Andrew Hoellering 16 June 2009

Hardy surely intended this poem (written at the outbreak of the First World War) to be ironic.The beliefs outlined in the penultimate verse ('victory crowns the just' and 'braggarts surely must'...) are Boy's Own stuff, constituting a misplaced faith in victory that is bound to lead to disillusionment.

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Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy

Dorchester / England
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