Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MIREIO: THE MARES OF THE CAMARGUE, by FREDERIC MISTRAL Poet's Biography First Line: A hundred mares, all white! Their manes Last Line: The stallions of camargue, all joyful in the roar. Subject(s): Animals; Horses | ||||||||
A HUNDRED mares, all white! their manes Like mace-weed of the marshy plains Thick-tufted, wavy, free o' the shears: And when the fiery squadron rears Bursting at speed, each mane appears Even as the white scarf of a fay Floating upon their necks along the heavens away. O race of humankind, take shame! For never yet a hand could tame, Nor bitter spur that rips the flanks subdue The mares of the Camargue. I have known, By treason snared, some captives shown; Expatriate from their native Rhone, Led off, their saline pastures far from view; And on a day, with prompt rebound, They have flung their riders to the ground And at a single gallop, scouring free, Wide nostril'd to the wind, twice ten Of long marsh-leagues devour'd, and then, Back to the Vacarés again, After ten years of slavery just to breathe salt sea. For of this savage race unbent The ocean is the element. Of old escaped from Neptune's car, full sure Still with the white foam fleck'd are they And when the seas puff black from gray, And ships part cables, loudly neigh The stallions of Camargue, all joyful in the roar. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALL THE LITTLE HOOFPRINTS by ROBINSON JEFFERS ROAN STALLION by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE HORSES by KATHARINE LEE BATES DANCERS AT THE MOY by PAUL MULDOON CRAZY HORSE SPEAKS: 3 by SHERMAN ALEXIE THE LEAF-PICKING by FREDERIC MISTRAL |
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