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Dirge for Two Veterans Lyrics by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Dona nobis pacem

1936

The last sunbeam
Lightly falls from the finish'd Sabbath
On the pavement here, and there beyond it is looking
Down a new-made double grave
Lo, the moon ascending
Up from the east the silvery round moon
Beautiful over the house-tops, ghastly, phantom moon
Immense and silent moon
I see a sad procession
And I hear the sound of coming full-key'd bugles
All the channels of the city streets they are flooding
As with voices and with tears
I hear the great drums pounding
And the small drums steady whirring
And every blow of the great convulsive drums
Strikes me through and through
For the son is brought with the father
(In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell
Two veterans son and father dropt together
And the double grave awaits them.)
And nearer blow the bugles
And the drums strike more convulsive
And the daylight o'er the pavement quite has faded
And the strong dead-march enwraps me
In the eastern sky up-buoying
The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumin'd
('Tis some mother's large transparent face
In heaven brighter growing.)
O strong dead-march you please me!
O moon immense with your silvery face you soothe me!
O my soldiers twain! O my veterans passing to burial!
What I have I also give you
The moon gives you light
And the bugles and the drums give you music
And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans
My heart gives you love
Credits
Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams

About “Dirge for Two Veterans” by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Read the complete lyrics to "Dirge for Two Veterans" by Ralph Vaughan Williams from the album "Dona nobis pacem" in 1936. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Dirge for Two Veterans" is performed by Ralph Vaughan Williams. from the album "Dona nobis pacem" in 1936 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Dirge for Two Veterans", explore more songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Dirge for Two Veterans" is credited to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Dirge for Two Veterans" appears on "Dona nobis pacem" in 1936.

Visit the Ralph Vaughan Williams artist page at /artist/ralph-vaughan-williams for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.