History & Politics

To the Defilers

by John Drinkwater 1882–1937

From Poems 1908-1919

History & Politics

Go, thieves, and take your riches, creep
To corners out of honest sight;
We shall not be so poor to keep
One thought of envy or despite.

But know that in sad surety when
Your sullen will betrays this earth
To sorrows of contagion, then
Beelzebub renews his birth.

When you defile the pleasant streams
And the wild bird’s abiding-place,
You massacre a million dreams
And cast your spittle in God’s face.

MLA

Drinkwater, John. “To the Defilers.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/drinkwater/18/.

Chicago

Drinkwater, John. “To the Defilers.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/drinkwater/18/.

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