Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SOLDIER'S DREAM, by THOMAS CAMPBELL Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Our bugles sang truce, - for the night-cloud had lowered Last Line: And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. Subject(s): Dreams; Home; Soldiers; War; Nightmares | ||||||||
OUR bugles sang truce, -- for the night-cloud had lowered, And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky; And thousands had sunk on the ground over- powered, The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die. When reposing that night on my pallet of straw. By the wolf-scaring fagot that guarded the slain; At the dead of the night a sweet vision I saw, And thrice ere the morning I dreamt it again. Methought from the battle-field's dreadful array, Far, far I had roamed on a desolate track: 'T was autumn, -- and sunshine arose on the way To the home of my fathers, that welcomed me back. I flew to the pleasant flelds traversed so oft In life's morning march, when my bosom was young; I heard my own mountain-goats bleating aloft, And knew the sweet strain that the corn reapers sung. Then pledged we the wine-cup, and fondly I swore, From my home and my weeping friends never to part; My little ones kissed me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobbed aloud in her fulness of heart. "Stay, stay with us, -- rest, thou art weary and worn;" And fain was their war-broken soldier to stay; -- But sorrow returned with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GIVE YOUR WISH LIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS BATTLE OF THE BALTIC by THOMAS CAMPBELL DOWNFALL OF POLAND [FALL OF WARSAW, 1794] by THOMAS CAMPBELL |
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