Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MAMMOTH, by JAMES SMITH (1775-1839)


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MAMMOTH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Soon as the deluge ceased to pour
Last Line: A second mammoth dies.
Subject(s): Death; Earth; Europe; Life; Dead, The; World


SOON as the deluge ceased to pour
The flood of death from shore to shore,
And verdure smiled again,
Hatched amidst elemental strife,
I sought the upper realms of life,
The tyrant of the plain.

On India's shores my dwelling lay --
Gigantic, as I roamed for prey,
All nature took to flight!
At my approach the lofty woods
Submissive bowed, the trembling floods
Drew backward with affright.

Creation felt a general shock:
The screaming eagle sought the rock,
The elephant was slain;
Affrighted, men to caves retreat,
Tigers and leopards licked my feet,
And owned my lordly reign.

Thus many moons my course I ran,
The general foe of beast and man,
Till on one fatal day
The lion led the bestial train,
And I, alas! was quickly slain,
As gorged with food I lay.

With lightning's speed the rumour spread --
"Rejoice! rejoice! the Mammoth's dead,"
Resounds from shore to shore.
Pomona, Ceres, thrive again,
And, laughing, join the choral strain,
"The Mammoth is no more."

In earth's deep caverns long immured,
My skeleton, from view secured,
In dull oblivion lay;
Till late, with industry and toil,
A youth subdued the stubborn soil,
And dragged me forth to day.

In London now my body's shown,
And while the crowd o'er every bone
Incline the curious head,
They view my form with wondering eye,
And pleased in fancied safety, cry --
"Thank Heaven, the monster's dead."

O mortals, blind to future ill,
My race yet lives, it prospers still --
Nay, start not with surprise:
Behold, from Corsica's small isle,
Twin-born in cruelty and guile,
A second Mammoth rise!

He seeks, on fortune's billows borne,
A land by revolution torn,
A prey to civil hate:
And seizing on a lucky time
Of Gallic frenzy, Gallic crime,
Assumes the regal state.

Batavian freedom floats in air,
The patriot Swiss, in deep despair,
Deserts his native land;
While haughty Spain her monarch sees
Submissive wait, on bended knees,
The tyrant's dread command.

All Europe o'er, the giant stalks,
Whole nations tremble as he walks,
Extinct their martial fire;
The Northern Bear lies down to rest,
The Prussian Eagle seeks her nest,
The Austrian bands retire.

Yet, ah! a storm begins to lower,
Satiate with cruelty and power,
At ease the monster lies;
Lion of Britain, led by you,
If Europe's sons the fight renew,
A second Mammoth dies.





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