I saw the people climbing up the street
Maddened with war and strength and thoughts to kill;
And after followed Death, who held with skill
His torn rags royally, and stamped his feet.
The fires flamed up and burnt the serried town,
Most where the sadder, poorer houses were;
Death followed with proud feet and smiling stare,
And the mad crowds ran madly up and down.
And many died and hid in unfounded places
In the black ruins of the frenzied night;
And death still followed in his surplice,, white
And streaked in imitation of their faces.
But in the morning men began again
To mock Death following in bitter pain.
Maddened with war and strength and thoughts to kill;
And after followed Death, who held with skill
His torn rags royally, and stamped his feet.
The fires flamed up and burnt the serried town,
Most where the sadder, poorer houses were;
Death followed with proud feet and smiling stare,
And the mad crowds ran madly up and down.
And many died and hid in unfounded places
In the black ruins of the frenzied night;
And death still followed in his surplice,, white
And streaked in imitation of their faces.
But in the morning men began again
To mock Death following in bitter pain.
Nancy Cunard
There are rhyming couplets in 'Zeppelins' to possibly represent how people are trying to keep it together even though some are 'torn rags' .
ReplyDeleteThe poem is dictated in Iambic pentameter similar to Shakespeare speeches by sonnets , we know this from the 18 lines and 5 feet which have 5 stresses , this may be because the writer wants to be heard in 'Zeppelins' as 'Zeppelins' was a funeral procession for the victims of this raid in Paris.
The writer may want others to know her emotions of seriousness and empathy towards the war.