Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PROLONGED SONNET: WHEN THE TROOPS WERE RETURNING FROM MILAN, by NICCOLO DEGLI ALBIZZI Poet's Biography First Line: If you could see, fair brother, how dead beat Last Line: And each as silent as a man being shaved. Subject(s): War | ||||||||
If you could see, fair brother, how dead beat The fellows look who come through Rome to-day, -- Black yellow smoke-dried visages, -- you'd say They thought their haste at going all too fleet. Their empty victual-wagons up the street Over the bridge dreadfully sound and sway; Their eyes, as hanged men's, turning the wrong way; And nothing on their backs, or heads, or feet. One sees the ribs and all the skeletons Of their gaunt horses; and a sorry sight Are the torn saddles, crammed with straw and stones. They are ashamed, and march throughout the night; Stumbling, for hunger, on their marrowbones; Like barrels rolling, jolting, in this plight. Their arms all gone, not even their swords are saved; And each as silent as a man being shaved. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...I AM YOUR WAITER TONIGHT AND MY NAME IS DIMITRI by ROBERT HASS MITRAILLIATRICE by ERNEST HEMINGWAY RIPARTO D'ASSALTO by ERNEST HEMINGWAY WAR VOYEURS by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL THE SURVIVOR AMONG GRAVES by RANDALL JARRELL SO MANY BLOOD-LAKES by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE MULBERRY GARDEN: CHILD AND MAIDEN by CHARLES SEDLEY |
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