Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TROOPERS (1778), by CLINTON SCOLLARD


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TROOPERS (1778), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: We clattered into the village street, and up to the rose and crown
Last Line: "but death to a thing like a tyrant king, and his vassal, my great lord howe!"
Subject(s): American Revolution; Great Britain - Rulers; Howe, Richard. Earl Howe (1726-1799); Presidents, United States; Washington, George (1732-1799)


WE clattered into the village street, and up to the Rose and Crown,
And we roared a toast to the Tory host as we tossed his liquor down; --
"Long life to General Washington! He's a gentleman, we trow!
But death to a thing like a tyrant king, and his vassal, my great Lord Howe!"

Then we doffed the hat as down we sat, and bade him fatten the board,
And when he whimpered and wheezed and whined we gave a clank of the sword;
By his own wide hearth, 't was a matter for mirth to see him bend and cow,
This cringing thing to a tyrant king, and his vassal, my great Lord Howe!

We had ridden fast, we had ridden far, and under the stars had slept;
Out of the night for the foray-fight we into the dawn had crept;
Long and late we had laughed at fate, we had hungered oft, and now
'T was a goodly thing to feast like a king, and his vassal, my great Lord Howe!

We had kissed our mothers and kissed our wives and kissed our sweethearts true!
As a grain of sand we had held our lives in the work we had to do;
We were "Rebels" all, proud name, God wot, because we would not bow
Our heads to a thing like a tyrant king, and his vassal, my great Lord Howe!

"Up now, my lads!" was the word we heard leap blithe from the captain's tongue,
So we raised a rouse for the Tory house as out of the door we flung;
"Long life to General Washington! He's a gentleman, we trow!
But death to a thing like a tyrant king, and his vassal, my great Lord Howe!"





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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