Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FRONT LINE, by WILLIAM ROSE BENET Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Standing on the fire-step Last Line: And peered into the black. Subject(s): World War I; First World War | ||||||||
Standing on the fire-step, Harking into the dark, The black was filled with figures His comrade could not mark. Because it was softly snowing Because it was Christmastide, He saw three figures passing Glittering in their pride. One rode a cream-white camel, One was a blackamoor, One a bearded Persian; They all rode up to the door. They all rode up to the stable-door, Dismounted, and bent the knee. The door flamed open like a rose, But more he could not see. Standing on the fire-step In softly falling snow, It came to him -- the carol -- Out of the long ago. He heard the glorious organ Fill transept, loft, and nave. He faintly heard the pulpit words, "Himself he could not save." And all the wires in no-man's-land Seemed thrummed by ghostly thumbs; There woke then such a harping As when a hero comes, As when a hero homeward comes -- And then his thought was back: He leaned against the parapet And peered into the black. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...D'ANNUNZIO by ERNEST HEMINGWAY 1915: THE TRENCHES by CONRAD AIKEN TO OUR PRESIDENT by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE HORSES by KATHARINE LEE BATES CHILDREN OF THE WAR by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE U-BOAT CREWS by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE RED CROSS NURSE by KATHARINE LEE BATES WAR PROFITS by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE UNCHANGEABLE by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE FALCONER OF GOD by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |
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