(From Babylonian tablet, 4,000 years Before Christ) THREE walls around the town of Tela when I came. They expected everything of those walls; Nobody in the town came out to kiss my feet. I knocked the walls down, killed three thousand soldiers, Took away cattle and sheep, took all the loot in sight, And burned special captives. Some of the soldiers -- I cut off hands and feet. Others -- I cut off ears and fingers. Some -- I put out the eyes. I made a pyramid of heads. I strung heads on trees circling the town. When I got through with it There wasn't much left of the town of Tela. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GOOD-BYE DOROTHY GAYLE: OVER THE MACKINAC by KAREN SWENSON THE ODYSSEY: THE GARDENS OF ALCINOUS by HOMER THE HYMNARY: 403. MARTYRS by ADAM OF SAINT VICTOR POEM FOR PICTURE: TO AN OIL PAINTING BY WINSLOW HOMER (DRIFTWOOD) by FRANK ANKENBRAND JR. PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 49. AL-MAJID by EDWIN ARNOLD THE FIRST BOOK OF URIZEN by WILLIAM BLAKE MEMORY AND HOPE by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |