I hear an army charging upon the land,
And the thunder of horses plunging, foam about their knees:
Arrogant, in black armour, behind them stand,
Disdaining the reins, with fluttering whips, the charioteers.
They cry unto the night their battle-name:
I moan in sleep when I hear afar their whirling laughter.
They cleave the gloom of dreams, a blinding flame,
Clanging, clanging upon the heart as upon an anvil.
They come shaking in triumph their long, green hair:
They come out of the sea and run shouting by the shore.
My heart, have you no wisdom thus to despair?
My love, my love, my love, why have you left me alone?
This is not only a poem but also a great work of freedom of thought in which james joyce stood for individual freedom always makes his opinion against war the real war that destructs the humanlife.
War a ugly thing being it is of the earthly or of the soul. Hatred core of all evil.
A great poem. The whole world has been under jackboots leaving behind 'sorrows and tears' (a la Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the great Nigerian musician)
SIX: he masterfully captures the raw vulnerability of the human heart through his powerful poetry Truly breathtaking!
FIVE: Through vivid and surreal imagery, the poet conveys the overwhelming impact of lost love and the lingering echoes of heartache. The poem's evocative language and dreamlike quality invite readers to explore the depths of emotional turmoil and the haunting persistence of lost love.
FOUR: The central theme of the poem revolves around the pain of heartbreak, capturing the intensity of emotional suffering and the haunting persistence of memories.
THREE: This army symbolizes a nightmarish onslaught of negative and painful emotions brought on by heartbreak. The thundering horses, arrogant charioteers, and whirling laughter all contribute to the sense of turmoil and despair.
TWO: It describes an invasion by a frightening army of ghoulish, green-haired soldiers riding in horse-drawn chariots. The imagery is vivid and unsettling. However, as the poem unfolds, it becomes clear that the speaker is dreaming.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
I do love James Joyce, though I do confess to puzzlement at his prose and pleasure at the irony of his poetry's utter clarity.