Page:Flower of youth, poems in war time, Tynan, 1915.djvu/20

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18
FLOWER OF YOUTH

THE WATCHERS

The cottages all lie asleep;
The sheep and lambs are folded in;
Winged sentinels the vale will keep
Until the hours of life begin.


The children with their prayers all said
Sleep until cockcrow shall awake
The gardens in their gold and red
And robins in the bush and brake.


The fields of harvest golden-white,
The fields of pasture rich and green,
Sleep on nor fear the kindly night,
The watching mountains set between.


The river sings its sleepy song,
Nought stirs the wakeful owl beside:
Our peace is builded sure and strong:
No evil beast can creep inside.