Author: Oliver Wendell Holmes

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    The piping of our slender, peaceful reeds
    Whispers uncared for while the trumpets bray;
    Song is thin air; our hearts' exulting play
    Beats time but to the tread of marching deeds,
    Following the mighty van that Freedom leads,
    Her glorious standard flaming to the day!
    The crimsoned pavement where a hero bleeds
    Breathes nobler lessons than the poet's lay.
    Strong arms, broad breasts, brave hearts, are better worth
    Than strains that sing the ravished echoes dumb.
    Hark! 't is the loud reverberating drum
    Rolls o'er the prairied West, the rock-bound North
    The myriad-handed Future stretches forth
    Its shadowy palms. Behold, we come, - we come!

    Turn o'er these idle leaves. Such toys as these
    Were not unsought for, as, in languid dreams,
    We lay beside our lotus-feeding streams,
    And nursed our fancies in forgetful ease.
    It matters little if they pall or please,
    Dropping untimely, while the sudden gleams
    Glare from the mustering clouds whose blackness seems
    Too swollen to hold its lightning from the trees.
    Yet, in some lull of passion, when at last
    These calm revolving moons that come and go - 
    Turning our months to years, they creep so slow - 
    Have brought us rest, the not unwelcome past
    May flutter to thee through these leaflets, cast
    On the wild winds that all around us blow.


    May 1, 1861.

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Type of Poem: Sonnet

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem, penned in 1861, appears to grapple with the tension between art and action, particularly in the context of political upheaval and societal change. The first stanza portrays a dichotomy between the peaceful "piping of our slender, peaceful reeds"—a metaphor for the gentleness of poetry—and the aggressive "trumpets" and "mighty van that Freedom leads," which symbolize war and revolution. The poet suggests that in times of monumental change, the role of the poet might seem insignificant compared to the "strong arms, broad breasts, brave hearts."

The second stanza takes a more introspective turn, seemingly reflecting on the poet's role in society. The speaker acknowledges that their work may be viewed as "idle" and "toys," but also suggests that in quieter moments, when the tumult of change has subsided, these "leaflets" of poetry might provide comfort and reflection. The poem's overall tone is caught between a sense of resignation and hope, and its structure, with its consistent rhyme scheme and meter, provides a rhythmic backbone that underscores the themes. The use of imagery and metaphors, particularly the "lotus-feeding streams" and "mustering clouds," imbue the poem with a vivid emotional landscape.