History & Politics

Stanzas in Just the Right Tone for the Spirited Gentlemen Who Would Conquer Mexico

by Vachel Lindsay 1879–1931

From The Golden Whales of California (1920)

History & Politics

Alexander

Would I might waken in you Alexander,
Murdering the nations wickedly,
Flooding his time with blood remorselessly,
Sowing new Empires, where the Athenian light,
Knowledge and music, slay the Asian night,
And men behold Apollo in the sun.
God make us splendid, though by grievous wrong.
God make us fierce and strong.

Mohammed

Would that on horses swifter than desire
We rode behind Mohammed 'round the zones
With swords unceasing, sowing fields of bones,
Till New America, ancient Mizraim,
Cry: "Allah is the God of Abraham."
God make our host relentless as the sun,
Each soul your spear, your banner and your slave,
God help us to be brave.

Napoleon

Would that the cold adventurous Corsican
Woke with new hope of glory, strong from sleep,
Instructed how to conquer and to keep
More justly, having dreamed awhile, yea crowned
With shining flowers, God-given; while the sound
Of singing continents, following the sun,
Calls freeborn men to guard Napoleon's throne
Who makes the eternal hopes of man his own.

MLA

Lindsay, Vachel. “Stanzas in Just the Right Tone for the Spirited Gentlemen Who Would Conquer Mexico.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lindsay/207/.

Chicago

Lindsay, Vachel. “Stanzas in Just the Right Tone for the Spirited Gentlemen Who Would Conquer Mexico.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lindsay/207/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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