Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Russia: Vol. XX. 1876–79. | | | | Alma, the River | | Alma | | Richard Chenevix Trench (1807–1886) |
| | | THOUGH till now ungraced in story, scant although thy waters be, | |
| Alma, roll those waters proudly, proudly roll them to the sea! | |
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| Yesterday, unnamed, unhonored, but to wandering Tartar known, | |
| Now thou art a voice forever, to the world’s four corners blown. | |
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| In two nations’ annals graven, thou art now a deathless name, | 5 |
| And a star forever shining in their firmament of fame. | |
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| Many a great and ancient river, crowned with city, tower, and shrine, | |
| Little streamlet, knows no magic, boasts no potency, like thine; | |
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| Cannot shed the light thou sheddest around many a living head, | |
| Cannot lend the light thou lendest to the memories of the dead. | 10 |
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| Yea, nor all unsoothed their sorrow, who can, proudly mourning, say, | |
| When the first strong burst of anguish shall have wept itself away:— | |
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| “He has passed from us, the loved one, but he sleeps, with them that died | |
| By the Alma, at the winning of that terrible hillside!” | |
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| Yes, and in the days far onward, when we all are cold as those | 15 |
| Who beneath thy vines and willows on their hero-beds repose, | |
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| Thou, on England’s banners blazoned with the famous fields of old, | |
| Shalt, where other fields are winning, wave above the brave and bold; | |
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| And our sons unborn shall nerve them for some great deed to be done, | |
| By that twentieth of September, when the Alma’s heights were won. | 20 |
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| O thou river! dear forever to the gallant, to the free, | |
| Alma, roll thy waters proudly, proudly roll them to the sea. | | | | |
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