Beat! Beat! Drums!

Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow! / Through the windows—through doors—burst like a ruthless force, / Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation, / Into the school where the scholar is studying; / Leave not the bridegroom quiet—no happiness must he have now with his bride, / Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain, / So fierce you whirr and pound you drums—so shrill you bugles blow. // Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow! / Over the traffic of cities—over the rumble of wheels in the streets; / Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? no sleepers must sleep in those beds, / No bargainers’ bargains by day—no brokers or speculators—would they continue? / Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing? / Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge? / Then rattle quicker, heavier drums—you bugles wilder blow. // Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow! / Make no parley—stop for no expostulation, / Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer, / Mind not the old man beseeching the young man, / Let not the child’s voice be heard, nor the mother’s entreaties, / Make even the trestles to shake the dead where they lie awaiting the hearses, / So strong you thump O terrible drums—so loud you bugles blow.