Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Poems by William Allingham (Author: William Allingham)

poem 15

In Snow

  1. O English mother, in the ruddy glow
    Hugging your baby closer when outside
    You see the silent, soft, and cruel snow
    Falling again, and think whaat ills betide
    Unshelter'd creatures,— your sad thoughts may go
    Where War and Winter now, two spectre-wolves,
    Hunt in the freezing vapour that involves
    Those Asian peaks of ice and gulfs below.
    Does this young soldier heed the snow that fills
    His mouth and open eyes? or mind, in truth,
    To-night,his mother's parting syllables?
    Ha! Is't a red coat?—Merely blood. Keep ruth
    for others; this is but an Afghan youth
    Shot by the stranger on his native hills.

    2. p.58