Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE OLD SOLDIER, by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: There came an old soldier to my door Last Line: A fol-rol-dol-rol-di-do. Alternate Author Name(s): Ramal, Walter; De La Mare, Walter Subject(s): Soldiers | ||||||||
There came an Old Soldier to my door, Asked a crust, and asked no more; The wars had thinned him very bare, Fighting and marching everywhere, With a Fol rol dol rol di do. With nose stuck out, and cheek sunk in, A bristling beard upon his chin -- Powder and bullets and wounds and drums Had come to that Soldier as suchlike comes -- With a Fol rol dol rol di do. 'Twas sweet and fresh with blossoming May, Flowers springing from every spray; And when he had supped the Old Soldier trolled The song of youth that never grows old, Called Fol rol dol rol di do. Most of him rags, and all of him lean, And the belt round his belly drawn tightly in, He lifted his peaked old grizzled head, And these were the very same words he said -- A Fol-rol-dol-rol-di-do. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALL ARMIES ARE THE SAME by ERNEST HEMINGWAY ABSENT WITH OFFICIAL LEAVE by RANDALL JARRELL PORT OF EMBARKATION by RANDALL JARRELL THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON OPERATION MEMORY by DAVID LEHMAN ALL THAT'S PAST by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE |
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