Goliath And David
Robert Graves
(For D. C. T., Killed at Fricourt, March, 1916)
Yet once an earlier David took
Smooth pebbles from the brook:
Out between the lines he went
To that one-sided tournament,
A shepherd boy who stood out fine
And young to fight a Philistine
Clad all in brazen mail. He swears
That hes killed lions, hes killed bears,
And those that scorn the God of Zion
Shall perish so like bear or lion.
But the historian of that fight
Had not the heart to tell it right.
Striding within javelin range,
Goliath marvels at this strange
Goodly-faced boy so proud of strength.
Davids clear eye measures the length;
With hand thrust back, he cramps one knee,
Poises a moment thoughtfully,
And hurls with a long vengeful swing.
The pebble, humming from the sling
Like a wild bee, flies a sure line
For the forehead of the Philistine;
Then but there comes a brazen clink,
And quicker than a man can think
Goliaths shield parries each cast.
Clang! clang! and clang! was Davids last.
Scorn blazes in the Giants eye,
Towering unhurt six cubits high.
Says foolish David, Damn your shield!
And damn my sling! but Ill not yield.
He takes his staff of Mamre oak,
A knotted shepherd-staff thats broke
The skull of many a wolf and fox
Come filching lambs from Jesses flocks.
Loud laughs Goliath, and that laugh
Can scatter chariots like blown chaff
To rout; but David, calm and brave,
Holds his ground, for God will save.
Steel crosses wood, a flash, and oh!
Shame for beautys overthrow! 40
(Gods eyes are dim, His ears are shut.)
One cruel backhand sabre-cut
Im hit! Im killed! young David cries,
Throws blindly forward, chokes and dies.
And look, spike-helmeted, grey, grim,
Goliath straddles over him.
