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UNEASY PEACE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Late into the lulling night the pickers toiled
Last Line: While men were meditating war with which the world still bleeds.
Alternate Author Name(s): Blunden, Edmund
Subject(s): Peace


LATE into the lulling night the pickers toiled,
Stripping still by candle-light the bines uncoiled.
In the valley went and came
The mumbling trains with eyes of flame;
Cold as death is, from the fen
Blue fogs clammed wayfaring men.
Tolling bells and crouching shades put work away;
Lurching clowns and kerchered maids closed their long day.

Doors along the hamlet green creaked to and closed.
Lamps were lighted: by the inn some drank, or dozed.
Now keen ears could plainly tell
Bucket splashed in Saunders' well,
Or the passing of the churr,
Or the rainwise elmin's stir.
Far-off booths by Weston store for folks from town
Blared and flared an hour more, then dark came down.

Wandering scents of hops at kell, and straggler's songs,
Dimmed with distance, wove a spell not found in throngs;
Till the people were abed,
Some in tent and some in shed;
Till the twinkling lights went out,
Lost in sleep's gigantic rout;
Shunting at the station still jangled and banged,
Still the steel rams by the mill in turmoil clanged.

Soon through oddling eastern yews began to well
Glimmering beauty, golden news from Astrophel:
Dawning of the queen of elves
(That loves their dance in toadstool delves) --
Till that moon-enmarvelled sky
Charmed the coy clouds stealing by;
Till the weir-head shined afar, and dew-dipt meads;
While men were meditating war with which the world still bleeds.





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