I.
As from an ancestral oak
Two empty ravens sound their clarion,
Yell by yell, and croak by croak,
When they scent the noonday smoke
Of fresh human carrion:–
II.
As two gibbering night-birds flit
From their bowers of deadly yew
Through the night to frighten it,
When the moon is in a fit,
And the stars are none, or few:–
III.
As a shark and dog-fish wait
Under an Atlantic isle,
For the negro-ship, whose freight
Is the theme of their debate,
Wrinkling their red gills the while–
IV.
Are ye, two vultures sick for battle,
Two scorpions under one wet stone,
Two bloodless wolves whose dry throats rattle,
Two crows perched on the murrained cattle,
Two vipers tangled into one.
(Percy Bysshe Shelley)
More Poetry from Percy Bysshe Shelley:
Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems based on Topics: Night, War & Peace- Julian and Maddalo : A Conversation (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
- Epipsychidion (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
- The Daemon Of The World (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
- Scenes From The Faust Of Goethe (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
- Queen Mab: Part VII. (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
- Queen Mab: Part I. (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night Poems, War & Peace PoemsBased on Keywords: gibbering, night-birds, dog-fish