John Davidson (1857-1909)
Battle
1The war of words is done;
2 The red-lipped cannon speak;
3The battle has begun.
4The web your speeches spun
5 Tears and blood shall streak;
6The war of words is done.
7Smoke enshrouds the sun;
8 Earth staggers at the shriek
9Of battle new begun.
10Poltroons and braggarts run:
11 Woe to the poor, the meek!
12The war of words is done.
13"And hope not now to shun
14 The doom that dogs the weak,"
15Thunders every gun;
16"Victory must be won."
17 When the red-lipped cannon speak,
18The war of words is done,
19The slaughter has begun.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: John Davidson, The Last Ballad and other Poems, 2nd edn. (London: John Lane, 1899), pp. 95-96. PR 4525 D5L3 Robarts Library.
First publication date:
1899
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 1998.
Recent editing: 2:2002/4/3
Form: villanelle
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