Sound, sound forever, clarions of thought! <br />When Joshua 'gainst the high-walled city fought, <br />He marched around it with his banner high, <br />His troops in serried order following nigh, <br />But not a sword was drawn, no shaft outsprang; <br />Only the trumpets the shrill onset rang. <br />At the first blast, smiled scornfully the king, <br />And at the second sneered, half-wondering: <br /> <br />'Hop'st thou with noise my stronghold to break down?' <br />At the third round the ark of old renown <br />Swept forward, still the trumpets sounding loud, <br />And then the troops with ensigns waving proud. <br />Stepped out upon the old walls children dark, <br />With horns to mock the notes and hoot the ark. <br />At the fourth turn, braving the Israelites, <br />Women appeared upon the crenelated heights-- <br />Those battlements embrowned with age and rust-- <br />And hurled upon the Hebrews stones and dust, <br />And spun and sang when weary of the game. <br />At the fifth circuit came the blind and lame, <br />And with wild uproar clamorous and high <br />Railed at the clarion ringing to the sky. <br />At the sixth time, upon a tower's tall crest, <br />So high that there the eagle built his nest, <br />So hard that on it lightning lit in vain, <br />Appeared in merriment the king again: <br />'These Hebrew Jews musicians are, me-seems!' <br />He scoffed, loud laughing, 'but they live on dreams.' <br />The princes laughed submissive to the king, <br />Laughed all the courtiers in their glittering ring, <br />And thence the laughter spread through all the town. <br /> <br />At the seventh blast the city walls fell down.<br /><br />Victor Marie Hugo<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/trumpets-of-the-mind/
