Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DECATUR'S TOAST, by ARTHUR GUITERMAN Poet's Biography First Line: Up rose, triumphant, from his seat Last Line: "our country! -- right or wrong!" Subject(s): Decatur, Stephen (1779-1820); Heroism; Nations; New York City - Revolutionary Period; Toasts; Heroes; Heroines | ||||||||
Up rose, triumphant, from his seat The Bayard of the Sea -- The lion of our laureled fleet, The scourge of Barbary; His glass abrim with bubbling light, He pledged that brilliant throng -- "Our Country! -- be she ever right; Our Country! -- right or wrong!" Then round about the oaken board The goblets leaped and rang, And fervent fingers pressed the sword As up the heroes sprang; No mawkish qualms or doubts had they That echoed deep and strong, "Our Country! -- ever right, we pray; Our Country -- right or wrong! Too well the stifling mists they knew That dimmed the Stars we bore -- The plots of banded traitors, who, Amid the stress of war, Made weightier their nation's woes, Till rose the patriot song: "When face to face with foreign foes, Our Country! -- right or wrong!" Stanch lovers of our free domain, We strive for truth and right With honest force of heart and brain As God may give us light. But doubts must yield and ties must break When darkening perils throng; And when the sullen guns awake, "Our Country! -- right or wrong!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON NOTES FOR AN ELEGY by WILLIAM MEREDITH THE EROTICS OF HISTORY by EAVAN BOLAND A SONG FOR HEROES by EDWIN MARKHAM AFTER THE BROKEN ARM by RON PADGETT PRELUDE; FOR GEOFFREY GORER by EDITH SITWELL EXAMINATION OF THE HERO IN A TIME OF WAR by WALLACE STEVENS |
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