Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A BRIDGE, by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A BRIDGE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Beyond the church there stands a bridge
Last Line: "and the green weed's lazy beside his stone."
Alternate Author Name(s): Blunden, Edmund
Subject(s): Bridges; Time


"BEYOND the church there stands a bridge,"
The greyhead said in his thin moan,
"And the river below's nor quick nor slow,
And the green weed waves beside his stone."

The summer's dust in curling gust
Had floured me like a miller's man,
And on the hot bridge-wall I leant
To watch how sweet the water ran.

Then all things crumbled, with a roar
Mountains of waters champed and hurled;
The sluices crashed and deluge flashed
And spun me through a gasping world

Of black and green heads breaking loose,
With hideous bubbles, bolting eyes,
And rage and race, and white grimace,
And sidelong monstrous agonies.

Then sick and scarlet wheeled the sun
Above a slackened seething flood,
And in red creeks poked fish with beaks,
And shell-strong claws scooped the swart mud,

And congregate in sharkish hate
Hundreds of demon slayers basked
In the mid gulf, scaled thunder-bronze,
And their swift brains one victim asked.

"Why, there you see the bridge again,"
The grey ghost said. "How time has flown!
The pools lie clear this time of year,
And the green weed's lazy beside his stone."





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