OPPORTUNITY

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:­

There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;

And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged

A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords 

Shocked upon swords and shields.

 A prince's banner 

Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.

 A craven hung along the battle's edge,

And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel­

That blue blade that the king's son bears,

-but this Blunt thing-!" he snapt, and flung it from his hand,

 And lowering crept away and left the field.

Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead, 

And weaponless, and saw the broken sword, 

Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,

And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout 

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,

And saved a great cause that heroic day.