Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BLIND LEGION, by WILLIAM ROSE BENET


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BLIND LEGION, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Their drums roll on the night. Their fifes shrill up the dawn
Last Line: Know only in my heart, -- they are marching, marching on.
Subject(s): Marching & Marches


Their drums roll on the night. Their fifes shrill up the dawn.
Their coming is of light.
Bright files, raised knee by knee, swing by perpetually.
Saith one, "They march in shame, ill-fame, or fouler name!"
But I know not in my heart.
I, who brood apart,
Know only in my heart: they are marching, marching on!

Uncaptained, rank by rank their tramp and tread rocks by.
No weapons gleam or clank,
And neither voice nor sign is flashed along their line.
Saith one, "They march with pride and boast that Heavens deride!"
But I know this verily
Who watch them secretly:
They are marching Whitherless with neither Whence nor Why!

Skies o'er them have they none but one unshining arch
Of Time. The years withdrawn
Roll down its western slope; and on its eastern cope,
Saith one, the years to be crowd forth unweariedly.
I only see their white
Stern faces in the night, --
I know only, without fear their dauntless dying march!

Their drums roll on the night. Their fifes shrill up the dawn!
With neither voice nor sight
Grim files, raised knee by knee, fade past perpetually.
Saith one, "They march in sin and shame, no bliss to win!"
But I know not, in my heart.
I, who brood apart,
Know only in my heart, -- they are marching, marching on.





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