An appropriate title for the first post of the year … this poem “The Siege of Belgrade” I came across in one of my mother’s books … and thought what a wonderful way to lead us forward towards April and our A-Z Challenge 2016.
Alaric Alexander Watts (1797 – 1864) was a poet and journalist, born in London, who together with his wife, was dedicated to newspaper creation and editing …
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| It is also available in Audio Book form |
… I found this in MacMillan’s “Familiar Quotations” published in 1891, but Watts’ poems were collected as “Lyrics of the Heart” published in 1850. It is believed this poem was written in the 1820s. Enjoy ...
An Austrian army, awfully array’d,
Boldly by battery besiege Belgrade;
Cossack commanders cannonading come,
Deal devastation’s dire destructive doom;
Ev’ry endeavour engineers essay,
For fame, for freedom, fight, fierce furious fray.
Gen’rals ‘gainst gen’rals grapple, ---- gracious God!
How honours Heav’n heroic hardihood!
Infuriate, indiscriminate in ill,
Just Jesus, instant innocence instill!
Kinsmen kill kinsmen, kindred kindred kill.
Labour low levels longest, loftiest lines;
Men march ‘midst mounds, motes, mountains, murd’rous mines.
Now noisy, noxious numbers notice nought,
Of outward obstacles o’ercoming ought;
Poor patriots perish, persecution’s pest!
Quite quiet Quakers “Quarter, quarter” quest;
Reason returns, religion, right, redounds,
Suwarrow stop such sanguinary sounds!
Truce to thee, Turkey, terror to they train!
Unwise, unjust, unmerciful Ukraine!
Vanish vile vengeance, vanish victory vain!
Why wish we warfare? Wherefore welcome won
Xerxes, Xantippus, Xavier, Xenoplion?
Yield, ye young Yaghier, yeoman, yield your yell!
Zimmerman’s Zoroaster’s, Zeno’s zeal
Again attract; arts against arms appeal.
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| Siege of Nandorfehervar 1456 - Ottoman miniature |
All, all ambitious aims, avaunt, away!
Et cætera, et cætera, et cæterā …
All together we commence 2016 … we go forth and multiply our words across the blogosphere …
… we draw new people in, we acknowledge successful authors, poets, photographers, artists ... we encourage, we support those with ill health, we relate to and we share with each other …
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| Belgrade |
… the 2016 A-Z cometh – let’s enjoy ourselves in 2016 broadening our reach for compassion and peace …
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| Serbia in Europe |
For info: Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia from its creation in 1918, to its final dissolution in 2006.
It is now capital of Serbia … and is currently negotiating its European Union Accession.
Plus please remember sentiments have changed in 200 years ... since the poem was written.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
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