I have never seen "Volcanoes"－1
But, when Travellers tell
How those old－phlegmatic mountains
Usually so still－
Bear within－appalling Ordnance, 5
Fire, and smoke, and gun,
Taking Villages for breakfast,
And appalling Men－
If the stillness is Volcanic 9
In the human face
When upon a pain Titanic
Features keep their place－
If at length the smouldering anguish 13
Will not overcome－
And the palpitating Vineyard
In the dust, be thrown?
If some loving Antiquary, 17
On Resumption Morn,
Will not cry with joy "Pompeii"!
To the Hills return!
But, when Travellers tell
How those old－phlegmatic mountains
Usually so still－
Bear within－appalling Ordnance, 5
Fire, and smoke, and gun,
Taking Villages for breakfast,
And appalling Men－
If the stillness is Volcanic 9
In the human face
When upon a pain Titanic
Features keep their place－
If at length the smouldering anguish 13
Will not overcome－
And the palpitating Vineyard
In the dust, be thrown?
If some loving Antiquary, 17
On Resumption Morn,
Will not cry with joy "Pompeii"!
To the Hills return!
(F.165/J.75)
[1] "Volcanoes":: cannons.
[3] phlegmatic:: sluggish, dull. mountains:: huge machines.
[5] Ordnance:: cannon, artillery.
[7, 8] Taking, breakfast:: destroying villages easily.
[9–12] stillness, face, pain, keep:: people's faces keep still due to pain; cannons keep still with anguish against the enemy.
[15] palpitating:: shaking of the explosion.
[16] dust, thrown:: crushed in the dust.
[17, 18] Antiquary, Morn:: a student of early history visited the villages after the battle.
[19] "Pompeii":: a ruin scene like Pompeii.
[20] Hills return:: hills taken back in a battle.