Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BALLADE OF DEAD CITIES; TO ANDREW LANG, by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: Where are the cities of the plain? Last Line: Where are the cities of old time? Subject(s): Cities; Jews; Urban Life; Judaism | ||||||||
WHERE are the cities of the plain? And where the shrines of rapt Bethel? And Calah built of Tubal-Cain? And Shinar whence King Amraphel Came out in arms and fought, and fell, Decoyed into the pits of slime By Siddim, and sent sheer to hell; Where are the cities of old time? Where now is Karnak, that great fane, With granite built, a miracle? And Luxor smooth without a stain, Whose graven scripture still we spell? The jackal and the owl may tell; Dark snakes around their ruins climb, They fade like echo in a shell; Where are the cities of old time? And where is white Shushan, again, Where Vashti's beauty bore the bell, And all the Jewish oil and grain Were brought to Mithridath to sell, Where Nehemiah would not dwell, Because another town sublime Decoyed him with her oracle? Where are the cities of old time? ENVOI Prince, with a dolorous, ceaseless knell, Above their wasted toil and crime The waters of oblivion swell: Where are the cities of old time? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD A LITTLE HISTORY by DAVID LEHMAN FOR I WILL CONSIDER YOUR DOG MOLLY by DAVID LEHMAN JEWISH GRAVEYARDS, ITALY by PHILIP LEVINE NATIONAL THOUGHTS by YEHUDA AMICHAI SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 2. ANGEL ... by MARVIN BELL FEBRUARY IN ROME by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE |
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