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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
UNDER A THOUSAND WORDS, by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: A thousand words on courage. -this request Last Line: "but you call this instinct." Alternate Author Name(s): Blunden, Edmund Subject(s): Courage; Writing & Writers; Valor; Bravery | |||
"A thousand words on Courage." -- This request Dropped on me like a bomb on a sandbag shelter, And after much vague mental repetition Ranging from La Boisselle to Lord Macaulay, And metaphysical cross-examination On memories of conspicuous gallant conduct, I gave it up. That afternoon our boat Touched on a mud-flat, which we chose to cross, And as we waddled through it, a three-inch crab Disputed progress; one of his arms was gone; The other he held ready like a boxer, And backed and sidled to our every movement, His one arm ready; and to command full view Of the two monsters who had crossed the frontier, He strained his body backward, and stood tilted, Parrying every stroke we acted at him, Eyeing us, holding the line. "But you call this Instinct." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UNLESS IT WAS COURAGE by MARVIN BELL THE QUALITY OF COURAGE by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET ON THE OREGON COAST; FOR WILLIAM STAFFORD by ROBERT BLY WORDS WITH WALLACE STEVENS by ROBERT BLY BUFFALO CLOUDS OVER THE MAESTRO HOON by NORMAN DUBIE A SONG OF COURAGE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE AUDACIOUS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON OH, THE WATER by DORIANNE LAUX ALMSWOMEN by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN |
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