Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Americas: Vol. XXX. 1876–79.
Rio Bravo
By Charles Fenno Hoffman (1806–1884)R
Saw men ever such a sight,
Since the field of Roncesvalles
Sealed the fate of many a knight?
Sad Resaca Palma’s rout:
On those fatal fields so gory
Many a gallant life went out.
Shivered ’gainst the Northern steel,
Left the valiant hearts that couched them
’Neath the Northern charger’s heel.
Minstrel ne’er knew such a fight,
Since the field of Roncesvalles
Sealed the fate of many a knight.
Saw ye not, while red with gore,
Torrejon all headless quiver,
A ghastly trunk upon thy shore?
Shrieking on your trampled banks,
As the Northern winged artillery
Thundered on our shattered ranks?
There Raguena, tried and true,
On the fatal field thou lavest,
Nobly did all men could do.
Castile on Montezuma’s shore.
“Rio Bravo”—“Roncesvalles,”
Ye are names blent evermore.
For thy lover mid the slain?
Brave La Vega’s trenchant falchion
Cleft his slayer to the brain.
By a host of foes beset,
Yielded up his sabre only,
When his equal there he met.
Sleep beneath that sullen wave;
Rio Bravo! thou hast floated
An army to an ocean grave.
On like eagles toward the sun;
Followed then the Northern bayonet,
And the field was lost and won.
His Paladins on that sad shore!
“Rio Bravo”—“Roncesvalles,”
Ye are names blent evermore.