The Battle of Blenheim
Robert Southey
1774 to 1843
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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For many thousand men," said he,
Old Kaspar's work was done,
And then the old man shook his head,
And new-born baby died;
And what they fought each other for."
And he before his cottage door
Nor had he where to rest his head.
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
But what they fought each other for,
"Now tell us what 'twas all about,"
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
I could not well make out;
After the field was won;
And, with a natural sigh,
But everybody said," quoth he,
After a famous victory.
"Who fell in the great victory.
But things like that, you know, must be
"Why, 'twas a very wicked thing!"
"'Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he,
So with his wife and child he fled,
Quoth little Peterkin.
And by him sported on the green
He came to ask what he had found,
"Nay... nay... my little girl," quoth he,
And often when I go to plough,
For many thousand bodies here
"It was the English," Kaspar cried,
The ploughshare turns them out!
Was wasted far and wide,
"With fire and sword the country round
Young Peterkin, he cries;
"Who put the French to rout;
With wonder-waiting eyes;
Who this great fight did win."
She saw her brother Peterkin
"Were slain in that great victory."
And little Wilhelmine looks up
It was a summer evening,
"My father lived at Blenheim then,
Who stood expectant by;
"Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won,
"But 'twas a famous victory."
"But what good came of it at last?"
"That 'twas a famous victory.
Said little Wilhelmine.
"They say it was a shocking sight
At every famous victory.
"I find them in the garden,
For there's many here about;
But things like that, you know, must be
And many a childing mother then,
Lay rotting in the sun;
In playing there had found;
That was so large, and smooth, and round.
Which he beside the rivulet
And our good Prince Eugene."
"Why that I cannot tell," said he,
Yon little stream hard by;
"It was a famous victory.
"Now tell us all about the war,
"And everybody praised the Duke
And he was forced to fly;
Was sitting in the sun,
Roll something large and round,