Guns! far and near br Quick, sudden, angry, br They startle the still street, br Upturned faces appear, br Doors open on darkness, br There is a hurrying of feet, br And whirled athwart gloom br White fingers of alarm br Point at last there br Where illumined and dumb br A shape suspended br Hovers, a demon of the starry air! br Strange and cold as a dream br Of sinister fancy, br It charms like a snake, br Poised deadly in the gleam, br While bright explosions br Leap up to it and break. br Is it terror you seek br To exult in? Know then br Hearts are here br That the plunging beak br Of night-winged murder br Strikes not with fear br So much as it strings br To a deep elation br And a quivering pride br That at last the hour brings br For them too the danger br Of those who died, br Of those who yet fight br Spending for each of us br Their glorious blood br In the foreign night. — br That now we are neared to them br Thank we God.