I hate that drum’s discordant sound,
Parading round, and round, and round:
To thoughtless youth it pleasure yields,
And lures from cities and from fields,
To sell their liberty for charms
Of tawdry lace, and glittering arms;
And when Ambition’s voice commands,
To march, and fight, and fall, in foreign lands.
I hate that drum’s discordant sound,
Parading round, and round, and round:
To me it talks of ravag’d plains,
And burning towns, and ruin’d swains,
And mangled limbs, and dying groans,
And widow’s tears, and orphans moans;
And all that misery’s hand bestows,
To fill the catalogue of human woes.
This poem was used as the 'Postscript' to the anthology 'The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry' edited by Jon Silkin, who was also responsible for a number of translated poem contained in the book. - Von © by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes
FAQs
Answer and Explanation:
The Drum is a poem written by Nikki Giovanni. It is about a conversation between a father and a child about the world they are living in. The father describes the world, "daddy says the world is / a drum tight and hard" and the child's response: "i told him i'm gonna beat out my own rhythm".
What is the drum by John Scott about? ›
In this poem, Scott conveys his hatred of the military bands that performed in the eighteenth century. To him, the supposedly celebratory and triumphant sound of the military drum represented all of the lives that were ended and ruined by war.
What is the theme of the poem the drum? ›
Answer and Explanation:
The Drum is a short poem written by American poet Nikki Giovanni. The theme is one of finding one's own path and independence of spirit and action in a world which can be challenging and hard.
Who wrote the drum poem? ›
Of tawdry lace, and glittering arms; And when Ambition's voice commands, To march, and fight and fall, in foreign lands.
What is the moral of the drum? ›
One of the most valuable lessons for students to learn is the importance of kindness. The Drum tells the story of a young Indian boy who learns this lesson by showing kindness to others and receiving kindness in return.
What does a drum symbolize? ›
It is a symbol of connection and relationship to all. Drums are often given as gifts in thanks for good work or to acknowledge an important relationship or time in someone's life.
What is the main theme in the poem? ›
Theme is the lesson about life or statement about human nature that the poem expresses. To determine theme, start by figuring out the main idea. Then keep looking around the poem for details such as the structure, sounds, word choice, and any poetic devices.
What is the drum story about? ›
Summary. This timeless story from India is about a poor boy's dream of having his own drum. His mother is very poor and cannot afford to buy her son the one thing in the world that he really wants. The poor boy's dream takes him on one of the most unlikely journeys and ultimately leads to attaining his dream.
What does the talking drum symbolize? ›
Historically they used the talking drum as a means of communication; to praise the king, to send messages across villages, to incite or inspire the community to action and for ceremonial activities. The drummer could even speak to the dancer, praising them or inspiring them to perform more.
What does ode to the drum mean? ›
While "Ode to a Drum" is, on a literal level, about a drum maker talking to the gazelle he killed in order to make his drum, it is also a poem about the power of music in the African and African American traditions.
The drum in African poetry, generally stands for the spiritual pulse of traditional African life. The poet asserts that first, as the drum beat inside him, fishes danced in the rivers and men and women danced on the land to the rhythm of the drum.
Who started the drum? ›
History. Drums made with alligator skins have been found in Neolithic cultures located in China, dating to a period of 5500–2350 BC. In literary records, drums manifested shamanistic characteristics and were often used in ritual ceremonies.
What is the meaning of the poem drum dream girl? ›
It is a free-verse poem with 105 lines in 21 stanzas. The main theme of the poem is how Millo transformed gender roles in Cuban music. Specifically, Millo paved the way for female drummers in a society that previously only accepted male drummers.
What is the meaning of the poem drum taps by Walt Whitman? ›
Drum-Taps, collection of poems in free verse, most on the subject of the American Civil War, by Walt Whitman, published in May 1865. The mood of the poetry moves from excitement at the falling-in and arming of the young soldiers at the beginning of the war to the troubled realization of the war's true significance.
