Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ARNOLD'S DEPARTURE, by PHILIP FRENEAU


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ARNOLD'S DEPARTURE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: With evil omens from the harbour sails / the ill-fated ship that worthless arnol
Last Line: And a fat lamb, in sacrifice, shall die.
Subject(s): American Revolution; Arnold, Benedict (1741-1801); Soldiers; Treason & Traitors


WITH evil omens from the harbour sails
The ill-fated ship that worthless ARNOLD bears,
God of the southern winds, call up thy gales,
And whistle in rude fury round his ears.

With horrid waves insult his vessel's sides,
And may the east wind on a leeward shore
Her cables snap, while she in tumult rides,
And shatter into shivers every oar.

And let the north wind to her ruin haste,
With such a rage, as when from mountains high
He rends the tall oak with his weighty blast,
And ruin spreads, where'er his forces fly.

May not one friendly star that night be seen;
No Moon, attendant, dart one glimmering ray,
Nor may she ride on oceans more serene
Than Greece, triumphant, found that stormy day,

When angry Pallas spent her rage no more
On vanquished Ilium, then in ashes laid,
But turned it on the barque that Ajax bore,
Avenging thus her temple, and the maid.

When tossed upon the vast Atlantic main
Your groaning ship the southern gales shall tear,
How will your sailors sweat, and you complain
And meanly howl to Jove, that will not hear!

But if, at last, upon some winding shore
A prey to hungry cormorants you lie,
A wanton goat to every stormy power, "
And a fat lamb, in sacrifice, shall die.






Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net