Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MUTINY YEAR, by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS First Line: In the lumber-room I rummaged for some papers out of place Last Line: His aunt jane had scored with butter at the local county show. Subject(s): Numismatics; War; Coins, Commemorative; Medals, Historical | ||||||||
IN the lumber-room I rummaged for some papers out of place, When I cameamong the cobwebson a small morocco case, Raised the lid and saw a medal, on its upturned side a date, "I 857" graven on the tarnished laurelled plate. 'Twas enough, and ere I turned it in its faded velvet bed Quite a host of recollections ran in riot through my head; And from out the musty boxes, loved of spider and of mouse, Came a half-forgotten story of an owner of the house. Thus: A dusty roadway rises, and an Indian sun beats down Where an English scouting party gallop in from Delhi Town. On their flank the rebel rifles rattle out in sudden storms, One full mile in front is shelter, where a sweating battery forms. On they come in open order, through the danger zone they sweep, Save the last, whose wounded Waler pecks, and pitches in a heap, Struggles, shivers and lies quiet, while the trooper makes a run, Tries to join his comrades halting under cover of the gun, Where they breathe their sobbing horses, and the boy who's in command Knocks the dust from off his tunic, numbers off his tattered band, Throws a glance along the roadway where the bullets flick and bound, Sees the distant, limping figure, swings his reeking Arab round, Swears, and, sitting down to gallop, sends him racing back again, Gets the trooper up in safety, spite the raking leaden rain, And again defies the gauntlet of the glaring shot-swept road, Till the Arab rocks and staggers into cover with his load! This the story I remembered of those days by Delhi's gate, As I read the magic figures of the medal's famous date. Then it seemed to my romantic and unmilitary mind, That some record of his riding might be found engraved behind. So I turned it, and discovered that, some fifty years ago, His Aunt Jane had scored with butter at the local county show. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COINS OF MIST by ALFRED FRANCIS KREYMBORG TO MR. ADDISON, OCCASIONED BY HIS DIALOGUES ON MEDALS by ALEXANDER POPE WROTE IN A VOLUME OF EVELYN ON COINS by ALEXANDER POPE TO A SILVER DOLLAR by EFFIE WALLER SMITH ON SEEING A LITTLE CHILD SPIN A COIN OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER A BLACK-LETTER STORY-BOOK by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS A CLASSICAL CONTRAST by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS A DREAM by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS A JEWELLED SELL by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS A MARCH BROWN by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS |
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