Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE OTHER ARMY, by BARTHOLOMEW GRIFFIN Poet's Biography First Line: O'er ruined road past draggled field Last Line: And fast it grows at every hedge! Subject(s): Death; Future Life; Marching & Marches; Satire (as Poetic Genre); Soldiers; Travel; Dead, The; Retribution; Eternity; After Life; Journeys; Trips | ||||||||
O'er ruined road past draggled field, O'er twisted stones of shaken street, Marches an army terrible, The army of the bleeding feet, Of skirted feet that now first leave Immaculate field and kitchen floor, Old feet that slept beside the hearth, Wee feet that twinkled by the door. To strange world past the parish line (More strange with sound and sight to-day), Recruited fast at every hedge, The gathering army takes its way. Commanders? Aye, they trudge ahead, Not badge but babe on every breast. The troops? They straggle at her skirt, From tot to crone, in ranks ill-drest. And uniformed in rusty best From cedarn chests and linen bags; Ah, rough the roads and chill the winds To sabots split and sudden rags! Equipment? Aye, 'tis furnished well, This army of the old and young, On shoulder bent a bundle small, A doll from little fingers swung! Almost complete it only lacks The battle oath and cheer and song; Save infant fret and agèd sigh, Now dumbly marches it along. Past gaping window, roof and sill It fares to red horizon's edge, Past blackened furrow, hearth and fane, And fast it grows at every hedge! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RICHARD, WHAT'S THAT NOISE? by RICHARD HOWARD LOOKING FOR THE GULF MOTEL by RICHARD BLANCO RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL DESTINATIONS by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE ONE WHO WAS DIFFERENT by RANDALL JARRELL THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON SESTINA: TRAVEL NOTES by WELDON KEES TO H. B. (WITH A BOOK OF VERSE) by MAURICE BARING FIDESSA: 23 by BARTHOLOMEW GRIFFIN |
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