Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WAR SONG OF THE SARACENS, by JAMES ELROY FLECKER Poet's Biography First Line: We are they who come faster than fate: we are they who ride early or late Last Line: And the dead to the desert we gave, and the glory to god in our song. Subject(s): Moors (people) | ||||||||
We are they who come faster than fate: we are they who ride early or late: We storm at your ivory gate: Pale Kings of the Sunset, beware! Not on silk nor in samet we lie, not in curtained solemnity die Among women who chatter and cry, and children who mumble a prayer. But we sleep by the ropes of the camp, and we rise with a shout, and we tramp With the sun or the moon for a lamp, and the spray of the wind in our hair. From the lands, where the elephants are, to the forts of Merou and Balghar, Our steel we have brought and our star to shine on the ruins of Rum. We have marched from the Indus to Spain, and by God we will go there again; We have stood on the shore of the plain where the Waters of Destiny boom. A mart of destruction we made at Jalula where men were afraid, For death was a difficult trade, and the sword was a broker of doom; And the Spear was a Desert Physician who cured not a few of ambition, And drave not a few to perdition with medicine bitter and strong: And the shield was a grief to the fool and as bright as a desolate pool, And as straight as the rock of Stamboul when their cavalry thundered along: For the coward was drowned with the brave when our battle sheered up like a wave, And the dead to the desert we gave, and the glory to God in our song. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PRINCE YOUSUF AND THE ALCAYDE; A MOORISH BALLAD by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH THE SPANISH GYPSY: BOOK 1 by MARY ANN EVANS THE SPANISH GYPSY: BOOK 2 by MARY ANN EVANS THE SPANISH GYPSY: BOOK 3 by MARY ANN EVANS THE SPANISH GYPSY: BOOK 5 by MARY ANN EVANS THE SCHEIK OF SINAI IN 1830 by FERDINAND FREILIGRATH ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 1 by HEINRICH HEINE ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 2 by HEINRICH HEINE SANTORIN (A LEGEND OF THE AEGEAN) by JAMES ELROY FLECKER |
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