“Arma virumque cano.”
THE sun looked bright upon the morning tide:
Light played the breeze along the whispering shore,
And the blue billow arched its head of pride,
As ‘gainst the rock its frothy front it bore;
The clear bright dew fled hastily before
The morning’s sun, and glittered in his rays;
Aloft the early lark was seen to soar,
And cheerful nature glorified the ways
Of God, and mutely sang her joyous notes of praise.
The freshening breeze, the sporting wave,
Their own impartial greeting gave
To Christian and to Turk;
But both prepared to break the charm
Of peace, with war’s confused alarm –
And ready each, for combat warm,
Commenced the bloody work.
For England’s might was on the seas,
With red cross flapping in the breeze,
And streamer floating light;
While the pale crescent, soon to set,
Waved high on tower and minaret,
And all the pride of Mahomet
Stood ready for the fight.
Then swelled the noise of battle high;
The warrior’s shout, the coward’s cry,
Rung round the spacious bay.
Fierce was the strife, and ne’er before
Had old Numidia’s rocky shore
Been deafened with such hideous roar,
As on that bloody day.
It seemed as if that earth-born brood,
Which, poets say, once warred on God,
Had risen from the sea;-
As if again they boldly strove
To seize the thunderbolts of Jove,
And o’er Olympian powers to prove
Their own supremacy.
What though the sun has sunk to rest?
What though the clouds of smoke invest
The capes of Matisou?
Still by the flash each sees his foe,
And, dealing round him death and woe,
With shot for shot, and blow for blow,
Fights -to his country true.
Each twinkling star looked down to see
The pomp of England’s chivalry,
The pride of Briton’s crown!
While ancient
(John Gardiner Calkins Brainard)
More Poetry from John Gardiner Calkins Brainard:
John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems based on Topics: Light, God, Literature, Morning, Poets, War & Peace, Praise, Cry, Boredom, Pride, Cowardice- On Connecticut River (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
- Sketch Of An Occurrence On Board A Brig (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
- For The Carrier Of The Mirror. 1826 (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
- Extracts From Verses Written For The New-Year,1823 (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
- Jerusalem (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
- Extracts From New-Year's Verses For 1825 (John Gardiner Calkins Brainard Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: God Poems, Light Poems, War & Peace Poems, Cry Poems, Morning Poems, Literature Poems, Work & Career Poems, Pride Poems, Praise Poems, Poets Poems, Charm PoemsBased on Keywords: arma, cano, numidia, virumque