Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MONTGOMERY'S RETURN, by ARTHUR GUITERMAN Poet's Biography First Line: How black the barge of trailing pall Last Line: Montgomery came home. Subject(s): Fame; Homecoming; Hudson River; Love; Montgomery, Richard (1738-1775); New York City; Reputation; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple | ||||||||
How black the barge of trailing pall And nodding sable plume That Hudson bears by mountain wall And fields of golden bloom A cloud upon the azure flow, A shadow in the sun, To drumhead roll and church-bell toll And boom of minute gun! By night the ruddy beacons flame On crested Kaaterskill. Great heart that beat for Love and Fame Why liest thou so still? How blithe and brave he left his hall Beside the Hudson's wave! He heard his struggling country's call, His uttermost he gave. He bade his bonny bride farewell; In wastes of nor'land snow He battled, conquered, failed, and fell -- Full twoscore years ago They've wrapped him in a noble sheath, The flag without a fleck; They've borne him from the grave beneath The walls of old Quebec. The land he left in doubtful strife Has triumphed, free and blest; And him that died to give it life His people bear to rest. The bride he kissed a blooming lass Is wrinkled, old, and gray; She hears the drums; she sees him pass; She droops and swoons away. . . . . . . . Loud boomed the bell of high St. Paul's From out the hollow dome; And thus below those ivied walls Montgomery came home. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...READY FOR THE CANNERY by BERTON BRALEY TRANTER IN AMERICA by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER MEETING YOU AT THE PIERS by KENNETH KOCH FEBRUARY EVENING IN NEW YORK by DENISE LEVERTOV ON 52ND STREET by PHILIP LEVINE THREE POEMS FOR NEW YORK by JOSEPHINE MILES NEW YORK SUBWAY by HILDA MORLEY |
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