Men of old in shining armor, <br />Brand their swords and ride like thunder, <br />Cities quake; behold their tremor! <br />Xerxes turns toward Greece. <br /> <br />Men and women and starving children, <br />Run like fire and ne’er turn back, <br />Cities burn; behold their splendor! <br />Xerxes gives the word. <br /> <br />At his word those men in armor, <br />Take their torches, flaming archers, <br />Cities fall; behold their grandeur! <br />Falls in fire and stone. <br /> <br />Men of Greece in flight and flounder, <br />Who will stand for home and country? <br />Cities drop; behold their outpour! <br />Of men and cattle alike. <br /> <br />Darkness looms like silken powder, <br />“Greece will soon be gone, ” they mutter, <br />Cities flood; “behold their horror! ” <br />Xerxes plows ahead. <br /> <br />But then! Oh glory, glory! <br />Between two cliffs of stone, <br />Three-hundred men; behold their souls! <br />Are holding fast their own! <br /> <br />These men of Sparta, small yet brave, <br />Hold the pass for now one day! <br />Cities live; behold their soldiers; <br />Have not yet been swayed! <br /> <br />Hold the pass for now two days! <br />Hold the pass for now three days! <br />Cities grow; behold their people; <br />Begin to hold their own. <br /> <br />Hold the pass for now four days! <br />Hold the pass for now five days! <br />Cities stand; behold their leaders; <br />Gather men to war. <br /> <br />Hold the pass for now six days! <br />Hold the pass for now— <br />But the last of them, those Spartan men, <br />Falls. <br /> <br />For seven days those men so brave, <br />Held off an army sent by the Grave, <br />Cities rally; behold their strength! <br />Xerxes’ face is white. <br /> <br />Men of Greece unite once more, <br />Live for day and fight for ‘morrow! <br />Cities laugh! behold their laughter! <br />Xerxes returns to Persia.<br /><br />Jonzo Bandwagoner<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ballad-of-sparta/
