Classic Poem

We leaped upon the battle-field
And struck our verbal blows;
And neither you nor I would yield—
Once friends, now deadly foes.

We fought the fight, then o'er the grave
Of that which we had slain
We two clasped hands and strove to save
Some shred of love—in vain.

For the pale ghost of that we slew
Rose up in all its might;
I lost the faith I had in you,
You lost your trust that night.

And something stalks between us now:
I look in your sad eyes,
You see the wounds upon my brow—
Poor fools, who once were wise!