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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ALTAR STONE, by RICHARD ALEXANDER First Line: The altar stone we made Last Line: Who suffer on! Subject(s): Soldiers; Unknown Soldier | |||
The Altar Stone we made Not long ago, Is crumbled and decayed, No fires glow. But tho' the flame is quenched, The garlands dead, The Altar still is drenched With blood new shed! The Wounded Soldier dies Each day a death! Yet soundlessly he cries Below his breath, As drop by drop still drains His life away— But not to martial strains, Nor wreathed in bay! His broken body flayed With ceaseless pain, His anguished nerves are frayed With cruel strain— Forgotten victim of The Sacrifice— Sweet Mary, from above Behold the price! The Unknown Soldier rests, His peace secure— The Dying Soldier jests, To help endure The agonizing nights, And endless days— For patience still he fights, For death he prays. The curls about his brow Are whitened strands, He fashions poppies now, With groping hands. His sightless eyes are dry, He does not moan, As hour on hour creeps by The Altar Stone. Oh, blessèd is our dead Whose death was swift! —He on the Altar laid His final gift— He sleeps in sweet repose, His pangs are gone— But, dear God, pity those Who suffer on! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MAY 30, 1893 by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER by WITTER BYNNER WORDS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS by WITTER BYNNER NOVEMBER 11TH by FRANK E. CAMPBELL UNIDENTIFIED by MARIE LOUISE HERSEY THE UNKNOWN by HARRY HIBBARD KEMP THE UNKNOWN by ELMER O. LAUGHLIN EPITAPH by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY CONTRA MORTEM: THE BEING by HAYDEN CARRUTH NOW CLOSE THE WINDOWS by ROBERT FROST THE BALLAD WHICH ANNE ASKEW MADE AND SANG WHEN SHE WAS IN NEWGATE by ANNE ASKEWE |
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