Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FALLING STAR, by JOEL T. ROGERS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FALLING STAR, by                    
First Line: He did not meet them in the cloud
Last Line: A star has fallen to the dark.
Subject(s): Heaven; Rifles; War; Paradise


HE did not meet them in the cloud
Which fills her hollow caves with rain,
Nor yet below the cirrus snow
Which floats full dreamily to the main.

From out the void the strong winds blew
Sweeping the halls of heaven bare;
For miles away in that clear day
Their sparkling wings shone through the air.

Their sparkling wings shone with the sun,
Lighting the heavens terribly,
As when the brave bright banners wave
Upon the ships upon the sea.

He should have seen them, but his eyes
Were cast on visions fair and far,
Upon the high, frail enterprise,
Upon the holy wings of war.

Full three miles past eternity
The dim blue earth went round her poles,
And the slow sweep of her curving deep
Was more than all her murmuring souls.

Then were they on him, and their guns
Spoke loudly out above the roar
And thundering of brazen suns
Where he will wander nevermore.

Through noon the heaving armies go,
Through noon their feet tramp in the mire
The meadowlands; and in their hands
The rifles glint to fire and fire.

From out of space falls down a speck,
A speck, a spark, a flame, a spark,
Trailing behind the smoky wind;
A star has fallen to the dark.





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