My Portion is Defeat -- today --

My Portion is Defeat -- today --
A Paler luck than Victory --
Less Paeans -- fewer Bells --
The Drums dont follow Me -- with tunes --
Defeat -- a somewhat slower -- means --
More Arduous than Balls --

Tis populous with Bone and stain --
And Men too straight to stoop again,
And Piles of solid Moan --
And Chips of Blank -- in Boyish Eyes --
And shreds[^a1]scraps of Prayer --
And Death's surprise,
Stamped visible -- in Stone --

[^a1: shreds | shreds]

There's something[^a2]somewhat prouder, over there --
The Trumpets tell it to the Air --
How different Victory
To Him who has it -- and the One
Who to have had it, would have been
Contenteder -- to die --

[^a2: something | something]

5.somewhat slower] something
dumber
6.Arduous] difficult --