Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MONTGOMERY'S RETURN, by ARTHUR GUITERMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MONTGOMERY'S RETURN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: How black the barge of trailing pall
Last Line: Montgomery came home.
Subject(s): Fame; Homecoming; Hudson River; Love; Montgomery, Richard (1738-1775); New York City; Reputation; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple


How black the barge of trailing pall
And nodding sable plume
That Hudson bears by mountain wall
And fields of golden bloom
A cloud upon the azure flow,
A shadow in the sun,
To drumhead roll and church-bell toll
And boom of minute gun!
By night the ruddy beacons flame
On crested Kaaterskill.
Great heart that beat for Love and Fame
Why liest thou so still?

How blithe and brave he left his hall
Beside the Hudson's wave!
He heard his struggling country's call,
His uttermost he gave.
He bade his bonny bride farewell;
In wastes of nor'land snow
He battled, conquered, failed, and fell --
Full twoscore years ago
They've wrapped him in a noble sheath,
The flag without a fleck;
They've borne him from the grave beneath
The walls of old Quebec.

The land he left in doubtful strife
Has triumphed, free and blest;
And him that died to give it life
His people bear to rest.
The bride he kissed a blooming lass
Is wrinkled, old, and gray;
She hears the drums; she sees him pass;
She droops and swoons away.

. . . . . . .

Loud boomed the bell of high St. Paul's
From out the hollow dome;
And thus below those ivied walls
Montgomery came home.





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