Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TONALA BESIEGED, by IDELLA PURNELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TONALA BESIEGED, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: O my son, there is no water now at all
Last Line: Thy sister was too beautiful, my son.
Subject(s): Air Raids; Air Warfare


O my son, there is no water now at all,
And our gracious city is left without a light.
Go thou and buy a candle, a paraffin-white candle,
To keep against the coming of the night.

O my son, there is no water now at all.
The rebel storms outside the city gate.
Go thou and pluck the oranges, the honey-golden oranges,
That we may not be thirsty while we wait.

O my son, there is no water now at all.
Thy sister is too beautiful, my son.
Go thou and bring the scissors, the sharp-edge, blue-steel scissors,
To cut her hair, of night and sorrow spun.

The bombing-planes are gone; the streets are clean.
Water we have, and light. The seige is done.
Go thou and make a coffin. Paint blue a cheap pine coffin.
Thy sister was too beautiful, my son.





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