Wake Not for the World-Heard Thunder
Alfred Edward Housman 1859 – 1936
Wake not for the world-heard thunder,
Nor the chimes that earthquakes toll;
Stars may plot in heaven with planet,
Lightning rive the rock of granite,
Tempest tread the oakwood under,
Fear not you for flesh or soul;
Marching, fighting, victory past,
Stretch your limbs in peace at last.
Stir not for the soldier's drilling,
Nor the fever nothing cures;
Throb of drum and timbal's rattle
Call but men alive to battle,
And the fife with death-notes filling
Screams for blood--but not for yours.
Times enough you bled your best;
Sleep on now, and take your rest.
Sleep, my lad; the French have landed,
London's burning, Windsor's down.
Clasp your cloak of earth about you;
We must man the ditch without you,
March unled and fight short-handed,
Charge to fall and swim to drown.
Duty, friendship, bravery o'er,
Sleep away, lad; wake no more.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 03, 2023
- 45 sec read
- 68 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCCABDD EFGGEFHH IJKKIJAX |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 844 |
Words | 145 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"Wake Not for the World-Heard Thunder" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 12 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/938/wake-not-for-the-world-heard-thunder>.
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