Gustav Holst - A Dirge for Two Veterans lyrics

The last sunbeam
Lightly falls from the finish'd Sabbath
On the pavement here
And there beyond it is looking
Down a new made double grave

Lo, the moon ascending
Up from the east the silvery round moon
Beautiful over the house-tops, ghastly
Phantom moon immense and silent moon

I see a sad procession and I hear the sound
Of coming full-key'd bugles
All the channels of the city
Streets they are flooding
As with voices and with tears

I hear the grеat drums pounding
And the small drums steady whirring
And evеry blow of the great convulsive drums
Strikes me through and through

For the son is brought with the father
(In the foremost ranks of the
Fierce assault they fell
Two veterans son and father dropt together
And the double grave await's them)

And nearer blow the bugles
And the drums strike more convulsive
And the daylight o'er the
Pavement quite has faded
And the strong dead march enwraps me

In the eastern sky up-buoying
The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumin'd
('Tis some mother's large transparent face
In heaven brighter growing)

O strong dead march you please, me!
O moon immense with your silvery
Face you soothe me!
O my soldiers twain! O my
Veterans passing to burial!
What I have I also give you

The moon gives you light
And the bugles and the drums give you music
And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans
My heart gives you love