Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SWALLOWS, by PIERRE JEAN DE BERANGER First Line: On the moorish coast, chain-tethered Last Line: "sorrow's burden do you bring?" Subject(s): Swallows | ||||||||
ON the Moorish coast, chain-tethered, Thus a captive soldier spoke: "I behold you, shining feathered Hosts that fly from Winter's yoke. You whom Hope, O! happy swallows Leaving France on truant wing, On your sunward journey follows, What home-tidings do you bring? "Three long years have passed since dumbly I implored some token gleaned From the valley where I humbly Dreamt of bliss the future screened. Where the limpid stream runs looping Round the lilac-scented garth, Have you glimpsed my cot, and swooping Gathered tidings of my hearth? "One of you perchance did quicken Under thatch where I was born; Of the mother sorely stricken You have wept the love forlorn. Prone in death she hears my coming, Grieving for the laggard beat Of my footsteps slowly homing: Do you bear love-tiding sweet? "Is my sister's wedding over? Have you seen the merry throng Toasting bride and toasting lover To the sound of happy song? And the brave lads once went leaping Into battle, do they see Home againor are they sleeping? Have you news of friends for me? "Over their slain bodies striding The despoiling stranger may In my home as master biding Seek my sister to betray. There no more a mother praying, Here the heavy chains that cling Swallows from my homeland straying, Sorrow's burden do you bring?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SIXTH-MONTH SONG IN THE FOOTHILLS by GARY SNYDER SWALLOW FLIGHT by SARA TEASDALE EACH SUMMER'S SWALLOWS by JOHN UPDIKE THE DEPARTURE OF THE SWALLOW by WILLIAM HOWITT THE BLUE SWALLOWS by HOWARD NEMEROV THE CLIFF SWALLOWS by DEBRA NYSTROM MY BALD HEAD by PIERRE JEAN DE BERANGER |
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