I saw thee sombrely enthralled, My Strasbourg, in Autumnal haze The year ere War, and I recalled Thy fame and inly sang thy praise. I hardly dared to dream that thou Wouldst ever face the Dawn again. I marked the sorrow on thy brow, Thy silence, and thy ordered pain. Oh, do we dream as oft we did— Watchers on visionary walls? There's something quivers that was hid: On the blue Vosges—a trumpet calls! We tore the linen on the bed Long since for flags to deck our doors: Long since with vine-lees blue and red We dyed our secret tricolors. Bring forth the dear flags hidden long, Ring all ye bells for years misrung: O, Alsace, be one burst of song, One nosegay to our Frenchmen flung! Nay, practise now one last restraint, Lest awful gladness drive us mad. Keep slow our heart-beats lest we faint And die through being over-glad. O, eyes, hold back your tears, and lips Forbear to tremble ... Oh my God, My blood beats like to lashing whips: @3They@1 tread where late the Prussian trod! As, after death, a bridegroom might Meet his dead bride among the blessed, With indescribable delight And awed timidity possest, The City thrills, beholding where The first file of deliverers comes With clarion-blast that rends the air And thunder of immortal drums. Then bursts into a rhythmic flow Freedom's tremendous lay of lays, First sung in Strasbourg long ago— The Marseillaise, the Marseillaise! Hearts are too full for tongues to cry ... Mark, where th'old exquisite minster soars, Amid the hush, remote, on high, Seen thro' glad tears, the tricolors! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRYSTAL GAZER by SARA TEASDALE TO MY MYRTLE [MIRTLE] by WILLIAM BLAKE SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 17. THE CHILD by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) A NEW HAMPSHIRE BOY by MORRIS GILBERT BISHOP HINC LACHRIMAE; OR THE AUTHOR TO AURORA: 33 by WILLIAM BOSWORTH |