 | [Poems by Whittier in] A Study of Whittier's Apprenticeship as a Poet |  |
THE WARRIOR
A gallant form is passing by,
The plume bends o'er his lordly brow;
A thousand tongues have raised on high
His song of triumph now.
Young knees are bending round his way,
And age makes bare his locks of grey.
The plume bends o'er his lordly brow;
A thousand tongues have raised on high
His song of triumph now.
Young knees are bending round his way,
And age makes bare his locks of grey.
[OMITTED]
The gallant steed treads proudly on,
His foot falls firmly now, as when
In strife that iron heel went down
Upon the hearts of men;
And foremost in the ranks of strife,
Trod out the last, dim spark of life.
His foot falls firmly now, as when
In strife that iron heel went down
Upon the hearts of men;
And foremost in the ranks of strife,
Trod out the last, dim spark of life.
234
Dream they of these—the glad and gay,
That bend around the conquerer's path?
The horrors of the conflict day—
The gloomy field of death—
The ghastly stain—the severed head—
The raven stooping o'er the dead.
That bend around the conquerer's path?
The horrors of the conflict day—
The gloomy field of death—
The ghastly stain—the severed head—
The raven stooping o'er the dead.
[OMITTED]
Men—Christians! pause—the air ye breathe
Is poisoned by your idol now,
And will ye turn to him, and wreathe
Your chaplets round his brow!
Nay, call his darkest deeds sublime,
And smile assent to giant crime!
Is poisoned by your idol now,
And will ye turn to him, and wreathe
Your chaplets round his brow!
Nay, call his darkest deeds sublime,
And smile assent to giant crime!
Forbid it, heaven!—a voice hath gone
In mildness and in meekness forth,
Hushing before its silvery tone,
The stormy things of earth;
And whispering sweetly through the gloom
An earnest of the peace to come.
In mildness and in meekness forth,
Hushing before its silvery tone,
The stormy things of earth;
And whispering sweetly through the gloom
An earnest of the peace to come.
Stanzas 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 The Bouquet, November 5, 1831
| [Poems by Whittier in] A Study of Whittier's Apprenticeship as a Poet | |