57565: Hospital Barge

<p dir="ltr"> Budging the sluggard ripples of the Somme,<br> A barge round old C�risy slowly slewed.<br> Softly her engines down the current screwed,<br> And chuckled softly with contented hum,<br> Till fairy tinklings struck their croonings dumb.<br> The waters rumpling at the stern subdued;<br> The lock-gate took her bulging amplitude;<br> Gently from out the gurgling lock she swum.<br> One reading by that calm bank shaded eyes<br> To watch her lessening westward quietly.<br> Then, as she neared the bend, her funnel screamed.<br> And that long lamentation made him wise<br> How unto Avalon, in agony,<br> Kings passed in the dark barge which Merlin dreamed.</p><p>Written at Scarborough in December 1917</p>