The Poet's Corner Poem by Laura Riding
The Poet's Corner
Here where the end of bone is no end of song
And the earth is bedecked with immortality
In what was poetry
And now is pride beside
And nationality,
Here is a battle with no bravery
But if the coward's tongue has gone
Swording his own lusty lung.
Listen if there is victory
Written into a library
Waving the books in banners
Soldierly at last, for the lines
Go marching on, delivered of the soul.
And happily may they rest beyond
Suspicion now, the incomprehensibles
Traitorous in such talking
As chattered over their countries' boundaries.
The graves are gardened and the whispering
Stops at the hedges, there is singing
Of it in the ranks, there is a hush
Where the ground has limits
And the rest is loveliness.
And loveliness?
Death has an understanding of it
Loyal to many flags
And is a silent ally of any country
Beset in its mortal heart
With immortal poetry.
I feel most certain that Laura was speaking of the brutality and gruesome nature of war, I think most likely WW1. Where countries boundaries were redrawn - and each country's history written in blood from the war before... And as each country sings its own praises and anthems - the incomprehensibles - those laying in their graves - gone to war not from chivalry or bravery - but a mere boundary. Laura's poetry brings this into morality - for it is no less present in our own generation than hers - and will continue on I suspect as long as man does.
poetry and love for country...both brave acts...writing thoughts that create opinions...fighting wars that create divisions...lovely...laura...this took me a long time to understand...did i get it right?
LAURA...PRETTY SURE OF WHAT THE THEME &MESSAGE WAS THAT YOU WERE SO ELLOQUENTLY DELIVERING...AND IF MY READ IS ON THE MONEY, I MOST DEFINITELY ASCRIBE TO YOUR ASSESSMENTS AS WELL AS YOUR EVERSO CLEVER TITLE.(I think many of us stood at that corner of disception, where museums, libraries, conventions & fictitious documents of accolade leave most of those involved at the DEAD END of LITERSCAMERY RD. GREAT PIECE...A PERFECT 10!
that's great! i like how you describe the world of poetry, of words
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/25/2024 5:57:21 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Great lines: Death has an understanding of it Loyal to many flags And is a silent ally of any country Beset in its mortal heart With immortal poetry.