Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE UNKNOWN BROTHERS, by LOUIS V. LEDOUX Poet's Biography First Line: Singing band by song united Last Line: But they triumph though they fail. Subject(s): Family Life; Relatives | ||||||||
SINGING band by song united When the blue Ægean plains Girdled isles where lovers lighted Lamps in Kypris' seaward fanes; Singing Brothers, earth enfolden, What of you and of your olden Music now! What still remains? Scattered blooms, surviving only As the petal holds the rose, In the garden where the lonely Scarlet flower of Sappho blows; And of some no single token Leaf or bud, or blossom broken Now the mounded garden shows. Was there lack of exaltation In the burden of their song? Had they less of consecration? Proved the path of Beauty long? Did they pause for pleasant resting? Swerve or falter in their questing? Have the ages done them wrong? Some there may have been who faltered By the bright Ægean foam, Seeing life with vision altered As the soul forgot its home; Some it may be in confusion, After youth's divine illusion, Turned to till the kindly loam. Some there are in all the ages Lonely vigil fail to keep; Some allured by wisdom's pages Chart the sky and sound the deep; Some give up the long foregoing Human touches, reaping, sowing Some with Sappho take the leap. But the most wait unrepining, Hopeful when all hope is fled, For fulfilment of the shining Dawn that lingers far ahead, And, by paths of no returning Where the hearth-fires are not burning, March companioned by the dead. Through neglect or loud derision, Mocked at by the worldly-wise, Bearing burdens of misprision, Seeking truth and finding lies, Follow they the glow or glimmer Of the vision growing dimmer As the death-mist fills their eyes. Never can you be requited, Unknown Brothers, staunch and brave; You the bitter gods have slighted, Only half their gift they gave, Gave the patience of endeavor, Kept fruition back forever, Felled the cypress by your grave. You are passed, but unknown brothers, Finding faith of small avail, Follow now as followed others, And I pause to bid them hail. Brothers are they in believing, Some it may be are achieving, But they triumph though they fail. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY AUNT ELLA MAE by MICHAEL S. HARPER THE GOLDEN SHOVEL by TERRANCE HAYES LIZARDS AND SNAKES by ANTHONY HECHT THE BOOK OF A THOUSAND EYES: I LOVE by LYN HEJINIAN CHILD ON THE MARSH by ANDREW HUDGINS MY MOTHER'S HANDS by ANDREW HUDGINS PLAYING DEAD by ANDREW HUDGINS THE GLASS HAMMER by ANDREW HUDGINS INSECT LIFE OF FLORIDA by LYNDA HULL A THRENODY IN MEMORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF MESSINA by LOUIS V. LEDOUX |
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