Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WATERLOO, by WINTHROP MACKWORTH PRAED


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WATERLOO, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Ay, here such valorous deeds were done
Last Line: They'll swear to that in france!
Subject(s): Soldiers; Waterloo; Battle Of Waterloo


Ay, here such valorous deeds were done
As ne'er were done before;
Ay, here the reddest wreath was won
That ever Gallia wore:
Since Ariosto's wondrous knight
Made all the Pagans dance,
There never dawned a day so bright
As Waterloo's on France.

The trumpet poured its deafening sound --
Flags fluttered on the gale;
And cannon roared, and heads flew round
As fast as summer hail:
The sabres flashed; with rage and fear
The steeds began to prance;
The English quaked from front to rear, --
They never quake in France!

The cuirassiers rode in and out,
As fierce as wolves and bears;
'T was grand to see them slash about
Among the English squares!
And then the Polish lancer came,
Careering with his lance; --
No wonder Britain blushed for shame,
And ran away from France.

The Duke of York was killed that day --
The King was sadly scarred; --
Lord Eldon, as he ran away,
Was taken by the Guard.
Poor Wellington, with fifty Blues,
Escaped by some strange chance;
Henceforth, I think he'll hardly choose
To shew himself in France.

So Buonaparte pitched his tent
That day in Grosvenor Place;
And Ney rode straight to Parliament,
And broke the Speaker's mace.
'Vive L'Empereur' was said and sung,
From Peebles to Penzance;
The Mayor and Aldermen were hung,
Which made folks laugh in France.

They pulled the Tower of London down;
They burned our wooden walls;
They brought his Holiness to Town,
And lodged him in St Paul's.
And Gog and Magog rubbed their eyes,
Awaking from a trance;
And grumbled out, in great surprise,
'O mercy! we're in France!'

They sent a Regent to our Isle, --
The little King of Rome;
And squibs and crackers all the while
Blazed in the Place Vendome.
And ever since, in arts and power
They're making great advance;
They've had strong beer from that glad hour,
And sea-coal fires in France.

My uncle, Captain Flanigan,
Who lost a leg in Spain,
Tells stories of a little man,
Who died at St Helene.
But bless my heart! they can't be true,
I'm sure they're all romance;
John Bull was beat at Waterloo --
They'll swear to that in France!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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