Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ORANGES, by ABU DHARR First Line: The serried hosts stood man to man Last Line: The watchers smiled in glad surprise. Alternate Author Name(s): Abu Dharr Al-khushani, Mus`ab Ibn Muhammad | ||||||||
The serried hosts stood man to man, Determined either side to win, Here Turk, there Ethiopian, Their battle-field an orange-skin! And when the armies 'gan to fight I never saw a sight so sweet; The duskies put the blonds to flight, For they had never known defeat. But then the pale-faced Turks again Took heart, and rallied to the fray; They battled back with might and main, They fought like heroes all the day. It is the common rule of war To fill with tears the watchers' eyes; But this proved the exception, for The watchers smiled in glad surprise. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CALL TO THE COLORS by ARTHUR GUITERMAN THE EVE OF ST. AGNES by JOHN KEATS LOVE'S JUSTIFICATION by MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI IN MEMORIAM A.H.H.: 130 by ALFRED TENNYSON IN THE ROOM by JAMES THOMSON (1834-1882) THE TWO ANGELS by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER |
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