The serried hosts stood man to man, Determined either side to win, Here Turk, there Ethiopian, Their battle-field an orange-skin! And when the armies 'gan to fight I never saw a sight so sweet; The duskies put the blonds to flight, For they had never known defeat. But then the pale-faced Turks again Took heart, and rallied to the fray; They battled back with might and main, They fought like heroes all the day. It is the common rule of war To fill with tears the watchers' eyes; But this proved the exception, for The watchers smiled in glad surprise. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BIRTHDAY by LOUIS UNTERMEYER SUMMER SHOWER by EMILY DICKINSON LIKE A LAVEROCK IN THE LIFT by JEAN INGELOW TO LEIGH HUNT, ESQ. by JOHN KEATS THE GHOSTS OF THE BUFFALOES by NICHOLAS VACHEL LINDSAY ON AN OLD MUFF by FREDERICK LOCKER-LAMPSON |