Ewart Alan Mackintosh
Here in the narrow broken way
Where silently we go.
Steadfast above their valiant clay
Forgotten crosses show.
Our whispers call to many a ghost
Across the flare-light pale,
And from their graves the Breton host
Stand up beside the Gael.
Year upon year of ancient sleep
Have rusted on our swords,
But once again our place we keep
Against the Saxon hordes.
Since Arthur ruled in Brittany,
And all the world was new.
The fires that burned our history,
Bum in our spirits too.
One speech beyond their memory
Binds us together still,
One dream of home wherein we see
River and sea and hill.
When in the night-time Fingal’s peers
Fight their old wars again,
The blood of twice two thousand years
Leaps high in every vein.
Old songs that waked King Arthur’s knights
Stir in our memory yet.
Old tales of olden heroes fights
That we cannot forget,
To die as Fingal’s warriors died
The great men long ago,
Breton and Gael stand side by side
Against the ancient foe.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem captures a poignant and evocative exploration of heritage, memory, and the enduring bond of warriors across time. By invoking the mythical and historical past, the speaker connects the present-day experience of soldiers to the ancient struggles of their ancestors. The imagery of “forgotten crosses” and “valiant clay” sets a somber tone, suggesting that the warriors who once fought bravely are now relegated to the past, their deeds fading into obscurity. Yet, despite this fading, the speaker conveys a sense of unity and continuity with those who have gone before, a bond that transcends time.
The opening lines introduce a “narrow broken way” — a path fraught with both physical and symbolic challenges. It is a path “where silently we go,” emphasizing the quiet, almost reverential nature of the soldiers’ journey. The “forgotten crosses” act as markers of past sacrifices, standing as silent witnesses to the legacy of those who fought and died. This imagery of crosses, particularly in the context of war, often evokes a sense of solemnity and remembrance, suggesting that the soldiers of the present are following in the footsteps of those who have fallen.
What follows is an invocation of historical and mythical figures, most notably the Breton and Gaelic warriors. The “Breton host” and “Gael” standing side by side evoke a sense of camaraderie and shared struggle, particularly against a common enemy, in this case, the Saxons. The reference to “Arthur” and “Brittany” brings in the legendary figure of King Arthur, whose reign is often symbolized by unity and strength. The poem thus connects the present to the distant past, suggesting that the same fires that fueled the battles of Arthur’s time still burn in the hearts of modern warriors. The “rusted swords” allude to a sense of historical continuity, as though the fighters of the present, despite the passage of centuries, are part of the same long tradition.
The line “One speech beyond their memory / Binds us together still” is particularly powerful. It suggests that despite the passing of generations, there is a unifying force — perhaps language, culture, or shared purpose — that still holds these disparate warriors together. This “one speech” represents a bond that is not easily broken by time or history.
The idea of home, which the poem associates with “river and sea and hill,” provides a sense of stability and identity, something both enduring and rooted in the earth. For the soldiers, home is more than a physical place; it is a dream and an ideal that connects them across time. The reference to “Fingal’s peers” and the “old wars again” speaks to the idea of ancestral memory, that the warriors of today are not just fighting for themselves, but for a long line of predecessors whose struggles are woven into the fabric of their own identity. The “blood of twice two thousand years” leaps “high in every vein,” implying that the valor and sacrifice of past generations are alive within them.
The invocation of “old songs” and “old tales” further ties the present to the distant past. These stories of “olden heroes” and their “fights” are not merely history, but something alive in the consciousness of the speaker. They are sources of inspiration, providing both a model of courage and a reminder of the cost of battle. The speaker expresses a desire “to die as Fingal’s warriors died,” a death that is noble, heroic, and eternal in its memory.
The closing lines, where “Breton and Gael stand side by side / Against the ancient foe,” bring the poem full circle, highlighting the unity of two distinct peoples, each with their own rich histories, coming together in common cause. In this, the poem speaks to a universal theme of solidarity in the face of struggle. Whether in the distant past or in the present, the bonds of shared purpose and the legacy of past warriors provide strength to those who carry their banner forward.
Overall, the poem weaves together themes of continuity, heritage, and the indelible influence of history on the present. It portrays war not just as a modern phenomenon, but as something deeply entwined with the past, where the blood of ancestors continues to course through the veins of today’s fighters. The strength of memory and shared experience is what sustains them as they face the challenges of their own time, and what unites them in the fight against an “ancient foe.” Through its imagery, tone, and references to historical and mythological figures, the poem creates a powerful sense of collective memory, where the past is never truly gone, but remains an active presence in the lives of those who walk its path.