Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ARMISTICE DAY, by EDMUND VANCE COOKE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ARMISTICE DAY, by                    
First Line: Armistice day! When a new sun rose
Last Line: And the wars are ended—for those who died!
Subject(s): Death; Peace; Soldiers; Veterans Day; War; Dead, The


Armistice Day! when a new sun rose
And the hate and the horror reached a close. ...

But here is the slave of a crawling crutch,
Maimed by the shrapnel's devilish whim,
And trinkets and tributes don't mean much
To a man torn limb from limb.

Armistice Day! and a peace proclaimed,
But how is it peace for the halt and maimed?

Armistice Day! when the curtain dropped
On the tragic field and the fight was stopped. ...

But there are no fields nor hills nor skies
For one whom the noon-day lends no light,
For the horror of war ate out his eyes
And his day is endless night!

Armistice Day! with the war behind,
But how is it ended for one made blind?

Armistice Day! and the joy-bells ring
And the children of earth leap up and sing. ...

But one who is here is yet away
And a maggot is at his festered brain.
He whimpers and whines at his painful play
And he giggles at sores and pain.

Armistice Day! and the world is glad,
But how is it happy for one made mad?

Armistice Day! and the wild world cheers
And laughs and forgets its foolish fears. ...

But the wooden crosses stand in hordes
And stretch white arms in endless prayer,
For they who have paid for the broken swords
Hold eternal armistice there.

Armistice Day! with its petty pride!
And the wars are ended—for those who died!





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