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Robert Louis Stevenson

Prelude

BY sunny market—place and street
Wherever I go my drum I beat,
And wherever I go in my coat of red
The ribbons flutter about my head.
 
I seek recruits for wars to come —
For slaughterless wars I beat the drum,
And the shilling I give to each new ally
Is hope to live and courage to die.
 
I know that new recruits shall come
Wherever I beat the sounding drum,
Till the roar of the march by country and town
Shall shake the tottering Dagons down.
 
For I was objectless as they
And loitering idly day by day;
But whenever I heard the recruiters come,
I left my all to follow the drum.

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Other works by Robert Louis Stevenson...
Sonnet I

NOR judge me light, tho’ light at… And lightly in the stress of fortu… The innumerable flaws of changeful… Nor judge me light for this, nor r… (Office forbid to mortals, kept su…
Rain

The rain is falling all around, It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea.
 2
Evensong

The embers of the day are red Beyond the murky hill. The kitchen smokes: the bed In the darkling house is spread: The great sky darkens overhead,
De Coenatione Micae

LOOK round: You see a little sup… But from my window, lo! great Cae… And the great dead themselves, wit… Bid you be merry and remember deat…
Tales of Arabia

YES, friend, I own these tales o… Smile not, as smiled their flawles… Age—old but yet untamed, for ages Pass and the magic is undiminished… Thus, friend, the tales of the old…
I Know Not How, But as I Count

I KNOW not how, but as I count The beads of former years, Old laughter catches in my throat With the very feel of tears.
Still I Love to Rhyme

STILL I love to rhyme, and stil… Far from the commoner way; Old—time trills and falls by the b… Dreaming to—morrow to—day. Come here, come, revive me, Sun—G…
To Will. H. Low.

Youth now flees on feathered foot. Faint and fainter sounds the flute… Rarer songs of gods; and still Somewhere on the sunny hill, Or along the winding stream,
Good and Bad Children

Children, you are very little, And your bones are very brittle; If you would grow great and statel… You must try to walk sedately. You must still be bright and quiet…
Fairy Bread

Come up here, O dusty feet! Here is fairy ready to eat. Here in my retiring room, Children, you may dine On the golden smell of broom
 1
"She Rested by the Broken Brook"

She rested by the Broken Brook, She drank of Weary Well, She moved beyond my lingering look… Ah, whither none can tell! She came, she went. In other lan…
To Minnie

A picture-frame for you to fill, A paltry setting for your face, A thing that has no worth until You lend it something of your grac… I send (unhappy I that sing
Spring Song

THE air was full of sun and birds… The fresh air sparkled clearly. Remembrance wakened in my heart And I knew I loved her dearly. The fallows and the leafless trees
The Sick Child

Child — O mother, lay your hand on my brow… O mother, mother, where am I now? Why is the room so gaunt and great… Why am I lying awake so late?
The Piper

AGAIN I hear you piping, for I… You rouse the heart to wander and… Tho’ where you learned your music,… For you pipe the open highway and… O piper, lightly footing, lightly…



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