E. E. Cummings

Thou in Whose Sword-great Story Shine the Deeds

Thou in Whose Sword-great Story Shine the Deeds - form Summary

Sonnet of Historical Praise

This poem is a sonnet that addresses Jean Froissart as the recorder of heroic history. Its tightly structured fourteen lines condense praise for the chronicler who made past valor present, framing written memory as communion with the dead and a defense of cities and ideals. The sonnet form focuses the speaker27s argument, turning admiration for literary witness into moral and civic tribute.

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Thou in whose sword-great story shine the deeds Of history her heroes, sounds the tread Of those vast armies of the marching dead, With standards and the neighing of great steeds Moving to war across the smiling meads; Thou by whose page we break the precious bread Of dear communion with the past, and wed To valor, battle with heroic breeds; Thou, Froissart, for that thou didst love the pen While others wrote in steel, accept all praise Of after ages, and of hungering days For whom the old glories move, the old trumpets cry; Who gav’st as one of those immortal men His life that his fair city might not die.

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