Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BOSTON COMMON: 1774, by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES


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BOSTON COMMON: 1774, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The streets are thronged with trampling feet
Last Line: The pipe-clayed belts of gage's men.
Subject(s): American Revolution; Boston


THE streets are thronged with trampling feet,
The northern hill is ridged with graves,
But night and morn the drum is beat
To frighten down the "rebel knaves."
The stones of King Street still are red,
And yet the bloody red-coats come:
I hear their pacing sentry's tread,
The click of steel, the tap of drum,
And over all the open green,
Where grazed of late the harmless kine,
The cannon's deepening ruts are seen,
The war-horse stamps, the bayonets shine.
The clouds are dark with crimson rain
Above the murderous hirelings' den,
And soon their whistling showers shall stain
The pipe-clayed belts of Gage's men.





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