REQUIEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 149, 23 June 1906, Page 12

REQUIEM.

BT JOHANNES C. ANDERSEN. Author of "Songs Unsung" and the "N.Z. Exhibition Ode." Rest, Premier, rest: The end of strife has come, Thy strenuous life has reached Its peaceful close: Throughout the land Is hushed its busy hum, With slackened pulse the life within It flows: W.hat grief was this, that held a people dumb? From each has passed a dear-loved faithful friend. And wet. blurred eyes are dim to see the end. To this our woe of woes; Rest, Premier, rest: Sleep, Leader, sleep, Whose arduour never slept: Thy teeming brain has borue abundant fruit: Before thy fellows thou hast proudly stept, " Regardless of flung scorn and rancour's bruit. Whom thou hast Led thou leavest. not uuwept; Though blossoms fall, the fruit will yet mature; Thy works with thy young nation will endure. Deep runs their w.ell-struck root; Sleep, Leader, sleep. Rest. Toiler, rest; In regions of dim dawn, Through social wildernesses thou hast led. Nor climbed alone, hut all thy people drawn To sunny heights: but now thon liest dead. Like that old sper on Pisgah's upland lawn: Though we behold the laud of promise n-ear. Our leader leaves us with our hope, our fear— God called him; bow the head. Rest, Toiler, rest. Peace. Statesman, pence. Do we with blinded eyes. And hearts tr,o fond, exalt thee o'er thy ptrrs? A voice, no pcho of our own, replies (And each sad h?art rejoices as it hears) "Of him who now forever silent lies We know the .worth; a life vet promisoflllpd Mas passed away: a mighty heart :s stilled." With our tears flow their tears; Peace, Statesman, peace. Sleep. Father, sleep. To prove the love we b"ar, May we accomplish that by then beguu; What thou triumphant Uuredst, may wo dare; What thou wouldst do, may that by us br> done. Father! thyself thou wouldst not respite. spareShall we thon sit and wait? Nay. rather spend Our lives as thine was spent, that so our end. Like thine, ma; worth declare. Sleep. Father, r.leeji, liest. Premier, rest: Premier lv every deed &■* we have known, as sisier States have known. Thy words prophetic hitherwai-d did speed— "I leave for God's own country," and alone We ' wait, and hope, yes, hope, with hearts thnt bleed. Thy soul was borne from life that knows not ease. Thy body tossed upon the billowy seas, 'Mid hrackishness and moan, Rest, Premier, rest. Sleep, loved oiu\ sleep: Our ("hecks with waiting , burned. Through calm, oold nights, and frore midwinter days: No heart but day and night to theeward turned. No eye but seawards did expectant graze; No friend but for his leal true comrade yearned. Thy faults though seen, what could they but endear Thee to us nil?—and now thou canst not hear Our sorrow or our prn!?p; Sleep, loved oue, sleep. Peno< , . War-king, peace: Triumphant in the fight, In midsr'of victory thou hast found thine end; Old errors vanquished, Jo! the cause of right Has found thee life-long champion, lifelong friend. The nation thou hast welded moves in miehi. And as thyself was known o'or sea and land. May it in van of nations purely stand: And now—God us defend. Peace, War-king, peace.