Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FIRST NEWS FROM VILLAFRANCA, by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Peace, peace, peace, do you say? Last Line: And god's face -- waiting, after all! Subject(s): Italy - Revolutions; Peace | ||||||||
I PEACE, peace, peace, do you say? What! -- with the enemy's guns in our ears? With the country's wrong not rendered back? What! -- while Austria stands at bay In Mantua, and our Venice bears The cursed flag of the yellow and black? II Peace, peace, peace, do you say? And this the Mincio? Where's the fleet, And where's the sea? Are we all blind Or mad with the blood shed yesterday, Ignoring Italy under our feet, And seeing things before, behind? III Peace, peace, peace, do you say? What! -- uncontested, undenied? Because we triumph, we succumb? A pair of Emperors stand in the way (One of whom is a man, beside), To sign and seal our cannons dumb? IV No, not Napoleon! -- he who mused At Paris, and at Milan spake, And at Solferino led the fight: Not he we trusted, honored, used Our hopes and hearts for ... till they break Even so, you tell us ... in his sight. V Peace, peace, is still your word? We say you lie then! -- that is plain. There is no peace, and shall be none. Our very Dead would cry 'Absurd!' And clamor that they died in vain, And whine to come back to the sun. VI Hush! more reverence for the Dead! They've done the most for Italy Evermore since the earth was fair. Now would that we had died instead, Still dreaming peace meant liberty, And did not, could not, mean despair. VII Peace, you say? -- yes, peace, in truth! But such a peace as the ear can achieve 'Twixt the rifle's click and the rush of the ball, 'Twixt the tiger's spring and the crunch of the tooth, 'Twixt the dying atheist's negative And God's Face -- waiting, after all! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOW MANY NIGHTS by GALWAY KINNELL THE MOTTO by LOUISA SARAH BEVINGTON THE TRUE BEATITUDE by RUPERT BROOKE MAKING PEACE by DENISE LEVERTOV TWO SONGS OF PEACE: 1 by YEHUDA AMICHAI TWO SONGS OF PEACE: 2 by YEHUDA AMICHAI A CHILD'S THOUGHT OF GOD by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |
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