Poem of William Hermanns

                  Verdun

At dusk an awesome shiver
runs through my ancient stones.
There draws around my walls
a pilgrimage of bones.
They stop before my gate
and knock. I let them in.
They move to my cathedral,
march with a ghostly din
in uniform of rags.
Some have no skulls or hips,
some chests still wear a medal,
and dust falls from their ribs.
At dawn the visit ends.
My sons) my noble waste
of hopes, slip over the bridge
back to their holes in haste.

Now my cathedral trembles,
the windows clack and shiver,
they try to shrink, to hide.
The dawn shines off my river,
wipes darkness from my walls.

The light prepares a feast
for the hungry mouths of guns.
They gather in the east.
I stand—I have no choice—
look to my towers and cry,
"I'll stretch you like two fingers
that swear unto the sky:
Oh Teuton fury listen,
the gates of hell you shake
but not a mother's heart.
I stand and shall not break!"

Oh river, do you hear
my vow? Come, cease to flow.
Rise up and cool my wounds!
The Crown Prince starts his show.
His iron vultures rise
on wings of thunder gales.
They dive to tear my children
and scatter their entrails.
My houses tumble down;
Death spits her flame and smoke
upon the roofs and streets—
what is alive must choke.
As far as I look, the earth
hea.ves up in waves and bends.
This is the feast for rats
the Blond Beast feeds his friends.

Oh Meuse, you feel my sorrow .
You see me drain my cup.
There! On your bridge they march—
last sons I give up.
Oh river, rise and cool
my burning pain. What fate:
Dawn sees my sons in battle,
dusk herds them to my gate .
I, mother of France, keep watch.
Man's hate has shackled me.

When will dawn bring one love
and one humanity?
There is a knock at my gate.
My youngest - no more eyes!
Oh river, cool my pain
and let your waters rise.'

                  William Hermanns [P121]