Classic and Contemporary Poetry
GODFREY OF BOULOGNE, by HENRY DAVID THOREAU Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The moon hung low o'er provence vales Last Line: Twas godfrey of boulogne. Subject(s): Godfrey Of Bouillon (1060-1100); Provence, France | ||||||||
The moon hung low o'er Provence vales, 'Twas night upon the sea, Fair France was woo'd by Afric gales And paid in minstrelsy. Along the Rhone then moves a band, Their banner in the breeze, Of mail-clad men with iron hand, And steel on breast and knees. The herdsman following his droves Far in the night alone, Read faintly through the olive groves, -- 'Twas Godfrey of Boulogne The mist still slumbered on the heights The glaciers lay in shade, The stars withdrew with faded lights, The moon went down the glade. Proud Jura saw the day from far, And showed it to the plain; She heard the din of coming war, But told it not again. The goatherd seated on the rocks, Dreaming of battles none Was wakened by his startled flocks, -- 'Twas Godfrey of Boulogne. Night hung upon the Danube's stream, Deep midnight on the vales, Along the shore no beacons gleam, No sound is on the gales. The Turkish lord has banished care The harem sleeps profound, Save one fair Georgian sitting there Upon the Moslem ground. The lightning flashed a transient gleam, A glancing banner shone, A host swept swiftly down the stream, -- 'Twas Godfrey of Boulogne. 'Twas noon upon Byzantium, On street and tower and sea, On Europe's edge a warlike hum Of gathered chivalry. A troop went boldly through the throng, Of Ethiops, Arabs, Huns, Jews Greeks and Turk, to right their wrong Their swords flashed thousand suns. Their banner cleaved Byzantium's dust, And like the sun it shone, their armor had acquired no rust, -- 'Twas Godfrey of Boulogne. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VOYAGE EN PROVENCE by ARCHIBALD MACLEISH HIGH PROVENCE by KENNETH REXROTH SESTINA by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE WIND OF PROVENCE by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE THE LADY OF PROVENCE by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS NOCTURNE: IN PROVENCE by RICHARD HOVEY A LEGEND OF PROVENCE by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER PROVENCAL LEGEND by WILLA SIBERT CATHER |
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