ON Vorska's glittering waves The morning sunbeams play; Pultowa's walls are thronged With eager multitudes; Athwart the dusty vale They strain their aching eyes, Where to the fight moves on The conqueror Charles, the iron-hearted Swede. Him famine hath not tamed, -- The tamer of the brave. Him winter hath not quelled; When man by man his veteran troops sunk down, Frozen to their endless sleep, He held undaunted on. Him pain hath not subdued; What though he mounts not now The fiery steed of war, Borne on a litter to the field he goes. Go, iron-hearted king! Full of thy former fame; Think how the humbled Dane Crouched underneath thy sword; Think how the wretched Pole Resigned his conquered crown: Go, iron-hearted king! Let Narva's glory swell thy haughty breast; The death-day of thy glory, Charles, hath dawned! Proud Swede! the sun hath risen That on thy shame shall set! Now, Patkul, may thine injured spirit rest! For over that relentless Swede Ruin hath raised his unrelenting arm; For ere the night descends, His veteran host destroyed, His laurels blasted to revive no more, He flies before the Muscovite. Impatiently that haughty heart must bear Long years of hope deceived; Long years of idleness That sleepless soul must brook. Now, Patkul, may thy injured spirit rest! To him who suffers in an honest cause No death is ignominious; not to thee, But upon Charles, the cruel, the unjust, -- Not upon thee, on him The ineffaceable reproach is fixed, The infamy abides. Now, Patkul, may thine injured spirit rest! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FLY, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE A LOVER'S QUARREL by ROBERT BROWNING A PATCH OF OLD SNOW by ROBERT FROST THE CHOIRMASTER'S BURIAL by THOMAS HARDY A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 4. REVEILLE by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN POCAHONTAS by GEORGE POPE MORRIS THE CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE AT BALACLAVA: THE CHARGE by ALFRED TENNYSON |