The Marble Landing

An Incident at Spezzia

Original Text

The Collected Sonnets of Charles (Tennyson) Turner. Ed. F. B. Pinion and M. Pinion (London: MacMillan Press, 1988) : 92.

1They sunk a graven stone into the ground

2Where first our Garibaldi's ship was moor'd,

3Whereon an angry record of his wound

4Beneath those fair memorial lines, was scor'd;

5At night the accusing tablet was replaced

6By one, discharged of that injurious word,

7That pierced the general bosom like a sword,

8Belied their love, their common hope disgrac'd.

9Lie firm, thou latest-written rock! his meed

10Of honour should be neighbour'd by no groan

11Of party spleen -- perish the bitter seed

12In the pure marble furrow vainly sown!

13Why brand with purpos'd hate a casual deed

14That made our hero's noble patience known?

RPO poem Editors

Ian Lancashire

RPO Edition

2004

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