BY no dry death another king goes down The way of kings. Yet may no free man's voice, For stern compassion and deep awe, rejoice That one sign more is given against the crown, That one more head those dark red waters drown Which rise round thrones whose trembling equipoise Is propped on sand and bloodshed and such toys As human hearts that shrink at human frown. The name writ red on Polish earth, the star That was to outshine our England's in the far East heaven of empire -- where is one that saith Proud words now, prophesying of this White Czar? 'In bloodless pangs few kings yield up their breath, Few tyrants perish by no violent death.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A DIRGE (1) by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS ON GROWING OLD by JOHN MASEFIELD WINDSOR FOREST by ALEXANDER POPE AN HYMN OF HEAVENLY BEAUTY by EDMUND SPENSER ON BUTLER'S MONUMENT [IN WESTMINSTER] by SAMUEL WESLEY WHEN I PERUSE THE CONQUER'D FAME by WALT WHITMAN DEATH by EVGENY ABRAMOVICH BARATYNSKY MR. BARNEY MAGUIRE'S ACCOUNT OF THE CORONATION by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM |