Sleep holds you, sons of war: you may not see (You whose charmed heads sink heavy in your hands) How 'twixt the budding and the barren tree With glory in his staring eyes, he stands. There's a sharp movement in this shivering morn That blinds your sense while it breaks your power: The Phoenix grips the eagle: Christ reborn Bears high the standard. Sleep a little hour: Sleep: it were best ye saw not those bright eyes Prepared to wreck your world with errant flame, And drive strong men to follow mysteries, Voices, and winds, and things that have no name. Dare you leave strength half-proved, duty half-done? Awake! This God will hunt you from the sun! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A VALEDICTION: OF WEEPING by JOHN DONNE THE SMACK IN SCHOOL by WILLIAM PITT PALMER NOREMBEGA by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 3. THE WANDERING ONE by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 18. AL-RAZZAK by EDWIN ARNOLD TIMID THINGS by JOHN HAMPTON ATKINSON PICTURES OF MOTHER by STELLA PFEIFFER BAISCH TO MR. BARBAULD, WITH A MAP OF THE LAND OF MATRIMONY by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |