Classic and Contemporary Poetry
GREEK SONG: 4. THE SPARTAN'S MARCH, by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Twas morn upon the grecian hills, / where peasants dressed the vines Last Line: Or on it proudly borne! Alternate Author Name(s): Browne, Felicia Dorothea Subject(s): Sparta, Greece | ||||||||
'TWAS morn upon the Grecian hills, Where peasants dressed the vines; Sunlight was on Cithaeron's rills, Arcadia's rocks and pines. And brightly, through his reeds and flowers, Eurotas wandered by, When a sound arose from Sparta's towers Of solemn harmony. Was it the hunters' choral strain To the woodland-goddess poured? Did virgin hands in Pallas' fane Strike the full-sounding chord? But helms were glancing on the stream, Spears ranged in close array, And shields flung back a glorious beam To the morn of a fearful day! And the mountain-echoes of the land Swelled through the deep blue sky; While to soft strains moved forth a band Of men that moved to die. They marched not with the trumpet's blast, Nor bade the horn peal out, And the laurel groves, as on they passed, Rung with no battle shout! They asked no clarion's voice to fire Their souls with an impulse high; But the Dorian reed and the Spartan lyre For the sons of liberty! And still sweet flutes, their path around, Sent forth AEolian breath; They needed not a sterner sound To marshal them for death! So moved they calmly to their field, Thence never to return, Save bearing back the Spartan shield, Or on it proudly borne! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPARTA by JAMES THOMSON (1700-1748) A DIRGE (1) by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS ARABELLA STUART by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS BERNARDO DEL CARPIO by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS CASABIANCA by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS ENGLAND'S DEAD by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS EVENING SONG OF THE TYROLESE PEASANTS by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS GREEK SONG: 1. THE STORM OF DELPHI by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS |
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