Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FOE AT THE GATES, by JOHN DICKSON BRUNS First Line: Ring round her! Children of her glorious skies Last Line: The last grand holocaust of liberty. Subject(s): American Civil War; Charleston, South Carolina; United States - History | ||||||||
RING round her! children of her glorious skies, Whom she hath nursed to stature proud and great; Catch one last glance from her imploring eyes, Then close your ranks and face the threatening fate. Ring round her! with a wall of horrent steel Confront the foe, nor mercy ask nor give; And in her hour of anguish let her feel That ye can die whom she has taught to live. Ring round her! swear, by every lifted blade, To shield from wrong the mother who gave you birth; That never violent hand on her be laid, Nor base foot desecrate her hallowed hearth. Curst be the dastard who shall halt or doubt! And doubly damned who casts one look behind! Ye who are men! with unsheathed sword, and shout, Up with her banner! give it to the wind! Peal your wild slogan, echoing far and wide, Till every ringing avenue repeat The gathering cry, and Ashley's angry tide Calls to the sea-waves beating round her feet. Sons, to the rescue! spurred and belted, come! Kneeling, with clasp'd hands, she invokes you now By the sweet memories of your childhood's home, By every manly hope and filial vow, To save her proud soul from that loathed thrall Which yet her spirit cannot brook to name; Or, if her fate be near, and she must fall, Spare her -- she sues -- the agony and shame. From all her fanes let solemn bells be tolled; Heap with kind hands her costly funeral pyre, And thus, with paean sung and anthem rolled, Give her unspotted to the God of Fire. Gather around her sacred ashes then, Sprinkle the cherished dust with crimson rain, Die! as becomes a race of free-born men, Who will not crouch to wear the bondman's chain. So, dying, ye shall win a high renown, If not in life, at least by death, set free; And send her fame through endless ages down -- The last grand holocaust of Liberty. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A VISIT TO GETTYSBURG by LUCILLE CLIFTON AFTER SPOTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE by DAVID FERRY ACROSS THE LONG DARK BORDER by EDWARD HIRSCH WALT WHITMAN IN THE CIVIL WAR HOSPITALS by DAVID IGNATOW THE DAY OF THE DEAD SOLDIERS; MARY 30, 1869 by EMMA LAZARUS MANHATTAN, 1609 by EDWIN MARKHAM THE DECISION (APRIL 14, 1861) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE SPARROW HARK IN THE RAIN (ALEXANDER STEPHENS HEARS NEWS) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |
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