Schoolmistress

Wilfred Owen

 Next Poem          

Schoolmistress
Having, with bold Horatius, stamped her feet
And waved a final swashing arabesque
O'er the brave days of old, she ceased to bleat,
Slapped her Macaulay back upon the desk,
Resuned her calm gaze and her lofty seat.

There, while she heard the classic lines repeat,
Once more the teacher's face clenched stern;
For through the window, looking on the street,
Three soldiers hailed her. She made no return.
One was called 'Orace whom she would not greet.

Next Poem 

 Back to Wilfred Owen
Get a free collection of Classic Poetry ↓

Receive the ebook in seconds 50 poems from 50 different authors


To be able to leave a comment here you must be registered. Log in or Sign up.

Comments1
  • katrin8067

    Not a big fan of this one. Found it kinda difficult to relate to the "schoolmistress" and her strange encounters. What's this bit about "waved a final swashing arabesque", anyways? Are we talkin' about her being all dramatic or something? And why's she ignoring these soldiers? Seems a bit rude to me. 😅 Fancy wording aside, I'm not sure what the poet wanted to convey. Can anyone help me out here? 🤔