Opportunity

 

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:-

There spread a cloud across a plain;

And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged

A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords

Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince’s banner

Wavered, then staggered backwards, hemmed by foes.

A craven hung along the battles edge,

And thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel-

That Blue Blade that the king’s son bears-but this

Blunt thing!”-he snapped and flung it from his hand.

And lowering crept away and left the field.

Then came the king’s son, wounded sore bestead,

And Weaponless, and saw the broken sword,

Hilt-buried in the dry trodden sand,

And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,

And saved a great cause that heroic day.

Edward R. Sill

1841 - 1887