1 “Farewell, Romance!” the Cave-men said; “With bone well carved he went away, “Flint arms the ignoble arrowhead, “And jasper tips the spear to-day. “Changed are the Gods of Hunt and Dance, “And he with these. Farewell, Romance!” 2 “Farewell, Romance!” the Lake-folk sighed; “We lift the weight of flatling years; “The caverns of the mountain-side “Hold him who scorns our hutted piers. “Lost hills whereby we dare not dwell, “Guard ye his rest. Romance, farewell!” 3 “Farewell, Romance!” the Soldier spoke; “By sleight of sword we may not win, “But scuffle ’mid uncleanly smoke “Of arquebus and culverin. “Honour is lost, and none may tell “Who paid good blows. Romance, farewell!” 4 “Farewell, Romance!” the Traders cried; “Our keels ha’ lain with every sea; “The dull-returning wind and tide “Heave up the wharf where we would be; “The known and noted breezes swell “Our trudging sail. Romance, farewell!” 5 “Good-bye, Romance!” the Skipper said; “He vanished with the coal we burn; “Our dial marks full steam ahead, “Our speed is timed to half a turn. “Sure as the ferried barge we ply “’Twixt port and port. Romance, good-bye!” 6 “Romance!” the season-tickets mourn, “He never ran to catch his train, “But passed with coach and guard and horn— “And left the local—late again!” Confound Romance! . . . And all unseen Romance brought up the nine-fifteen. 7 His hand was on the lever laid, His oil-can soothed the worrying cranks, His whistle waked the snowbound grade, His fog-horn cut the reeking Banks; By dock and deep and mine and mill The Boy-god reckless laboured still! 8 Robed, crowned and throned, he wove his spell, Where heart-blood beat or hearth-smoke curled, With unconsidered miracle, Hedged in a backward-gazing world; Then taught his chosen bard to say: “Our King was with us—yesterday!”
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