Representative Poetry Online
On this day: February 19th
Random Poem of the Day
1Once did She hold the gorgeous east in fee;
3Of Venice did not fall below her birth,
5She was a maiden City, bright and free;
6No guile seduced, no force could violate;
8She must espouse the everlasting Sea.
9And what if she had seen those glories fade,
10Those titles vanish, and that strength decay;
11Yet shall some tribute of regret be paid
13Men are we, and must grieve when even the Shade
14Of that which once was great is passed away.
Notes
2] After the tremendous expansion of her power in the thirteenth century, Venice did much to protect western Europe from the Turks. Back to Line
4] the eldest Child of Liberty. The Venetians prided themselves in the belief that theirs was the oldest independent state in Europe. Back to Line
7] After a great naval victory of the Venetians in 1177, the Pope gave the Doge of Venice a ring with which to wed the Adriatic, that the world might know that the sea is subject to Venice, "as a bride is to her husband." The ceremony of wedding the Adriatic was celebrated annually by the Doge throwing a ring into it. Back to Line
12] Napoleon entered Venice on May 16, 1797, and proclaimed the end of the Republic. In October of the same year he handed Venice over to Austria. Back to Line