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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
POOR TARTAR; A HUNGARIAN LEGEND, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE Poet's Biography First Line: There's trouble in hungary, now, alas! Last Line: "god pity the tartar!"" said he." Subject(s): Legends, Hungarian; Tatars; Tartars | |||
I. THERE's trouble in Hungary, now, alas! There's trouble on every hand! For that terrible man, The Tartar Khan, Is ravaging over the land! II. He is riding forth with his ugly men, To rob and ravish and slay; For deeds like those, You may well suppose, Are quite in the Tartar-way. III. And now he comes, that terrible chief, To a mansion grand and old; And he peers about Within and without, And what do his eyes behold? IV. A thousand cattle in fold and field, And sheep all over the plain; And noble steeds Of rarest breeds, And beautiful crops of grain. V. But finer still is the hoarded wealth That his ravished eyes behold; In silver plate Of wondrous weight, And jewels of pearl and gold! VI. A nobleman owns this fine estate; And when the robber he sees, 'T is not very queer He quakes with fear, And trembles a bit in the knees. VII. He quakes in fear of his precious life, And, scarce suppressing a groan, "Good Tartar," says he, "Whatever you see Be pleased to reckon your own!" VIII. The Khan looked round in a leisurely way As one who is puzzled to choose; When, cocking his ear, He chanced to hear The creak of feminine shoes. IX. The Tartar smiled a villainous smile, When, like a lily in bloom, A lady fair With golden hair Came gliding into the room. X. The robber stared with amorous eyes; Was ever so winning a face? And long he gazed As one amazed To see such beauty and grace. XI. A moment more, and the lawless man Had seized his struggling prey, Without remorse, And taking horse He bore the lady away. XII. "Now Heaven be praised!" the noble man cried, "For many a mercy to me! I bow me still Unto his will, -- God pity the Tartar!" said he. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GRAVE OF HOWARD by WILLIAM LISLE BOWLES THE SIEGE OF KAZAN; TARTAR SONG by ALEXANDER BOREJKO CHODZKO THE INVASION OF THE TARTARS by ANONYMOUS DEATH AND CUPID; AN ALLEGORY by JOHN GODFREY SAXE EARLY RISING by JOHN GODFREY SAXE HOW CYRUS LAID THE CABLE [JULY 29, 1866] by JOHN GODFREY SAXE |
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