Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LOUD SHOUT THE FLAMING TONGUES OF WAR, by DORA SIGERSON SHORTER Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: Loud shout the flaming tongues of war Last Line: Shall we unite in servitude. Alternate Author Name(s): Sigerson, Dora; Shorter, Mrs. Clement Subject(s): Ireland; Nations; Patriotism; War; Irish | ||||||||
LOUD shout the flaming tongues of war. The cannon's thunder rolls afar While Empires tremble for their fall. Thou art alone amongst them all. Where is the friend who for thy sake Will on his sword thy freedom take? The son who holds thy right alone Above an Empire or a throne? Ah, Grannia Wael, thy stricken head Is bowed in sorrow o'er thy dead, Thy dead who for love of thee Not for some foreign liberty. Shall we betray when hope is near, Our Motherland whom we hold dear, To go to fight on foreign strand, For foreign rights and foreign land? The Lion's fangs have sought to kill A Nation's soul, a Nation's will; From tooth and claw thy wounded breast Has held them safe, has held them blest. About thy head great eagles are, They fly with scream and storm of war, Their shadows fall, we do not know If they be friend, if they be foe. For Lion's roar we have no fears, We fought him down the restless years. We watch the Eagles in the sky, Lest they should land or pass us by. But, yet beware! the Lion goes To strike our friends to charm our foes. By hamlet small, by hill and dale The creeping foe is on our trail; His face is kind, his voice is bland, He prates of faith and fatherland; Shall we go forth to do and die For Belgium's tear, and Serbia's sigh? Oh, Volunteers, through field and town He seeks his prey, he tracks thee down; His voice is soft, his words are fair, It is the creeping foe, Beware! Ah, Grannia Wael, in blood and tears We fought thy battles through the years, That thou shouldst live we're gland to die In prison cell or gallows high. Oh, cursed be he! who to our shame Drives forth thy manhood in thy name, O, WHILE THE LION LAPS OUR BLOOD SHALL WE UNITE IN SERVITUDE. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SIGHTSEERS by PAUL MULDOON THE DREAM SONGS: 290 by JOHN BERRYMAN AN IRISH HEADLAND by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE GIANT'S RING: BALLYLESSON, NEAR BELFAST by ROBINSON JEFFERS IRELAND; WRITTEN FOR THE ART AUTOGRAPH DURING IRISH FAMINE by SIDNEY LANIER THE EYES ARE ALWAYS BROWN by GERALD STERN THE WIND ON THE HILLS by DORA SIGERSON SHORTER |
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