Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HOLY INNOCENTS, by RICHARD HARRY HART


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HOLY INNOCENTS, by                    
First Line: While herod's guardsmen wiped the runnels of their blades
Last Line: Smiling and unafraid child statesman lies.


While Herod's guardsmen wiped the runnels of their blades
And turned with heavy step away,
Safe in the thatch, and warm with milk and sleep,
Silent and unafraid child Judas lay.

While Joseph urged the stumbling weary ass,
And Mary found no voice for her pain,
Death's infant merchant who would sell so cheap
Raised moth-wing lids, coughed, smiled and slept again.

Now that All Clear has sounded and the wireless brays --
They scarcely touched the arsenals and docks:
At Buckingham six chandeliers are down,
A bomb near Lincoln's Inn stopped all the clocks.
The cenotaph is spared as bishop prays,
Waitress gives birth to twins in Camden Town.

But Herod's Guards have flung in Mile End Road
Javelins of shattered glass and splintered wood;
The lean and fretful Innocents of Seven Dials
Have died as thoroughly as Hector could.

Deep in the peace of dawn on northern moors,
Cradled in down and satin to his eyes,
Not chill nor warm, and full of formula,
Smiling and unafraid child Statesman lies.





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