Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CAPTAIN CARPENTER, by JOHN CROWE RANSOM Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Captain carpenter rose up in his prime Last Line: And made the kites to whet their beaks clack clack. Subject(s): Despair | ||||||||
Captain Carpenter rose up in his prime Put on his pistols and went riding out But had got well-nigh nowhere at that time Till he fell in with ladies in a rout. It was a pretty lady and all her train That played with him so sweetly but before An hour she'd taken a sword with all her main And twined him of his nose forevermore. Captain Carpenter mounted another day And straightway rode into a surly rogue That looked unchristian but be that as may The captain did not wait upon prologue. But drew him out of his great heart The other swung against him with a club And cracked his two legs at the shinny part And let him roll and stick like any tub. Captain Corpenter rode many a time From male and female took he sundry harms And met the wife of Satan crying "I'm The she-wolf bids you shall bear no more arms." Their strokes and counters whistled in the wind I would he had delivered half his blows But where she should have made off like a hind The bitch bit off his arms at the elbows. Captain Carpenter parted with his ears To a surly rogue that used him in this wise O Jesus ere his threescore and ten years Another had pinched out his sweet blue eyes. Captain Carpenter got up on his roan And sallied from the gate for hells despite I heard him asking in the grimmest tone If any enemies yet there ware to fight? "Is there an adversary drunk with fame Who will risk to be wounded by my tongue Or burnt in two beneath my red heart's flame These are the perils he is cast among. "But if he can he has a pretty choice From an anatomy with little to lose Whether he cut my tongue and take my voice Or whether it be my round red heart he choose." It was the neatest knave that ever was seen Stepping in perfume from his lady's bower Who on his word put in his merry mien And fell on Captain Carpenter like a tower. I would not knock old fellows in the dust But there lay Captain Carpenter on his back His weapons were the stout heart in his bust And a blade shook between rotten teeth alack. The rogue in scarlet and grey soon knew his mind He wished to get his trophy and depart With gentle apology and touch refined He pierced him and produced the captain's heart. God's mercy rest on Captain Carpenter now I thought him sirs an honest gentleman Citizen husband soldier and scholar enow Let a jingling kites eat of him if they can. But God's deep curses follow after those That shore him of his goodly nose and ears His legs and strong arms at the two elbows And eyes that had not watered seventy years. The curse of hell upon the sleek upstart That got the captain finally on his back And took the red red vitals of his heart And made the kites to whet their beaks clack clack. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE DAY THAT WAS THAT DAY by AMY LOWELL MAN IN THE STREET OR HAND OVER MOUTH by HEATHER MCHUGH BURIAL RITES by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE CAMPS; FOR MARILYN HACKER by HAYDEN CARRUTH |
|