BY sunny market-place and street Wherever I go my drum I beat, And wherever I go in my coat of red The ribbons flutter about my head. I seek recruits for wars to come -- For slaughterless wars I beat the drum, And the shilling I give to each new ally Is hope to live and courage to die. I know that new recruits shall come Wherever I beat the sounding drum, Till the roar of the march by country and town Shall shake the tottering Dagons down. For I was objectless as they And loitering idly day by day; But whenever I heard the recruiters come, I left my all to follow the drum. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PRODIGAL SON by DAVID IGNATOW A RENUNCIATION by EDWARD DE VERE IMPRESSION by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE OPPORTUNITY by EDWARD ROWLAND SILL A DESCRIPTION OF SUCH A ONE AS HE WOULD LOVE by THOMAS WYATT THE BUILDERS OF THE ARK by MARIA ABDY ERRING IN COMPANY by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 7. THEY MEET AGAIN by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS |