Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MOCK HERO, by MRS. LEICESTER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MOCK HERO, by                    
First Line: Horatio, of idle courage vain
Last Line: And the black prince goes whimpering to bed!
Subject(s): Courage; Heroism; Valor; Bravery; Heroes; Heroines


Horatio, of idle courage vain,
Was flourishing in air his father's cane:
And as the fumes of valour swell'd his pate,
Now thought himself this hero, and now that:
"And now," he cried, "I will Achilles be;
My sword I'll brandish; -- mark! the Trojans flee!
Now I'll be Hector, when his angry blade
A lane through heaps of slaughter'd Grecians made!
And now my deeds still braver, I'll evince,
I am no less than -- Edward the Black Prince!
Give way, ye coward French!" --
As thus he spoke
And aim'd in fancy a sufficient stroke
To fix the fate of Cressy or Poictiers,
Heroically spurning trivial fears,
His milk-white hand he strikes against a nail,
Sees his own blood, and feels his courage fail;
Ah, where is now that boasted valour flown,
That in the tented field so late was shown?
Achilles weeps, great Hector hangs his head,
And the Black Prince goes whimpering to bed!





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