Poets | Bookstore | Poem of the Day | Top 40 | Search | Comments | Privacy
May 22nd, 2013 - we have 234 poets, 8,025 poems and 56,671 comments.
Walt Whitman - Beat! Beat! Drums!

1
BEAT! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow! 
Through the windows—through doors—burst like a ruthless force, 
Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation; 
Into the school where the scholar is studying; 
Leave not the bridegroom quiet—no happiness must he have now with his bride;
Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, plowing his field or gathering his grain; 
So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums—so shrill you bugles blow. 
  
2
Beat! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow! 
Over the traffic of cities—over the rumble of wheels in the streets: 
Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? No sleepers must sleep in those
    beds;
No bargainers’ bargains by day—no brokers or speculators—Would they
    continue? 
Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing? 
Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge? 
Then rattle quicker, heavier drums—you bugles wilder blow. 
  
3
Beat! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow!
Make no parley—stop for no expostulation; 
Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer; 
Mind not the old man beseeching the young man; 
Let not the child’s voice be heard, nor the mother’s entreaties; 
Make even the trestles to shake the dead, where they lie awaiting the hearses,
So strong you thump, O terrible drums—so loud you bugles blow.

Share |

Added: Feb 7 2004 | Viewed: 26045 times | Comments and analysis of Beat! Beat! Drums! by Walt Whitman Comments (40)

Beat! Beat! Drums! - Comments and Information

Poet: Walt Whitman
Poem: 3. Beat! Beat! Drums!
Volume: Leaves of Grass
- 8. Drum-Taps
Year: Published/Written in 1900
Poem of the Day: Jan 1 2005

Comment 40 of 40, added on May 14th, 2013 at 3:57 PM.
hlMLodspoHjqN

nf0P3o Wow, great article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.

digital slr lenses from Faroe Islands
Comment 39 of 40, added on May 14th, 2013 at 2:38 PM.
YzqpnSfRiHswarnkL

O0fcBc Really appreciate you sharing this blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.

camera buying guide from Australia
Comment 38 of 40, added on May 14th, 2013 at 1:21 PM.
BMudybOQhy

Id9GnC I am so grateful for your blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

digital camera guide from Bahrain

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Beat! Beat! Drums!, has received 40 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own.

Poem Info

Whitman Info
Copyright © 2000-2012 Gunnar Bengtsson. All Rights Reserved. Links | Bookstore