Since Persia fell at Marathon,
The yellow years have gathered fast:
Long centuries have come and gone.
And yet (they say) the place will don
A phantom fury of the past,
Since Persia fell at Marathon;
And as of old, when Helicon
Trembled and swayed with rapture vast
(Long centuries have come and gone),
This ancient plain, when night comes on,
Shakes to a ghostly battle-blast,
Since Persia fell at Marathon.
But into soundless Acheron
The glory of Greek shame was cast:
Long centuries have come and gone,
The suns of Hellas have all shone,
The first has fallen to the last:-
Since Persia fell at Marathon,
Long centuries have come and gone.
(Edwin Arlington Robinson)
More Poetry from Edwin Arlington Robinson:
Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems based on Topics: Place, Success, Past- Mr. Flood's Party (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
- Sonnet 32: The Children of the Night (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
- The Field of Glory (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
- Eros Turannos (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
- For a Dead Lady (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
- John Brown (Edwin Arlington Robinson Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Place Poems, Success Poems, Past PoemsBased on Keywords: marathon, helicon, hellas, persia, acheron, battle-blast