Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FAMILY: 4, by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Tall as a guardsman, pale as the east at dawn Last Line: -- and for his music, too, exacts applause. Alternate Author Name(s): Stevenson, Robert Lewis Balfour Subject(s): Family Life; Relatives | ||||||||
4 Tall as a guardsman, pale as the east at dawn, Who strides in strange apparel on the lawn? Rails for his breakfast? routs his vassals out (Like boys escaped from school) with song and shout? Kind and unkind, his Maker's final freak, Part we deride the child, part deride the antique! See where his gang, like frogs, among the dew Crouch at their duty, an unquiet crew; Adjust their staring kilts; and their swift eyes Turn still to him who sits to supervise. He in the midst, perched on a fallen tree Eyes them at labour; and, guitar on knee, Now ministers alarm, now scatters joy, Now twangs a halting chord -- now tweaks a boy. Thorough in all, my resolute vizier, Plays both the despot and the volunteer, Exacts with fines obedience to my laws, -- And for his music, too, exacts applause. | 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 GOOD PLAY by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON |
|