Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Poems — Volume 3
Poems — Volume 3

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3 is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Poems — Volume 3
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.
She breathed, and in the breathing craved.
Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.
XII
Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Poems — Volume 3

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3 is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.
Line 2
She breathed, and in the breathing craved.
/ʃiː briːðd ənd ɪn ðə ˈbriːðɪŋ kreɪvd/
Line 3
Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.
Line 4
XII
Line 5
Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Auroral adjective US /ərˈɔːrəl/

of or relating to the atmospheric phenomenon auroras

From this reading “Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.”

entrails noun US /ˈentrəlz/

internal organs collectively (especially those in the abdominal cavity)

From this reading “Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.”

glut verb US /ɡlʌt/

overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself

From this reading “Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.”

horizon's noun US /hərˈaɪzənz/

possessive form of “horizon” — the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

muted adjective US /ˈmjuːtɪd/

in a softened tone

From this reading “Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.”

Sheaves noun US /ʃiːvz/

plural of “sheaf” — a package of several things tied together for carrying or storing

From this reading “Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.”

shred noun US /ʃred/

a tiny or scarcely detectable amount

From this reading “Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.”

washer noun US /ˈwɑːʃər/

someone who washes things for a living

From this reading “Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.”

All words in this reading · 93

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

AuroraladjectiveUS /ərˈɔːrəl/

of or relating to the atmospheric phenomenon auroras

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

BannersnounUS /ˈbænərz/

plural of “banner” — long strip of cloth or paper used for decoration or advertising

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

banquetnounUS /ˈbæŋkwət/

a ceremonial dinner party for many people

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

battle-tongues

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

baynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

blushfuladjective

having a red face from embarrassment or shame or agitation or emotional upset

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

breadnounUS /bred/

food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

breathedadjectiveUS /briːðd/

uttered without voice

From this reading She breathed, and in the breathing craved.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading She breathed, and in the breathing craved.

bridesnounUS /braɪdz/

plural of “bride” — a woman who has recently been married

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

clutchnounUS /klʌtʃ/

the act of grasping

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

costnounUS /kɑːst/

the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

cravedadjectiveUS /kreɪvd/

wanted intensely

From this reading She breathed, and in the breathing craved.

dailyadverbUS /ˈdeɪli/

every day; without missing a day

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

deedsnounUS /diːdz/

performance of moral or religious acts

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

DesiredadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪərd/

wanted intensely

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

Devitalizing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

droopingadjectiveUS /ˈdruːpɪŋ/

weak from exhaustion

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

EastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

entrailsnounUS /ˈentrəlz/

internal organs collectively (especially those in the abdominal cavity)

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

Environed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

feveredadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərd/

highly or nervously excited

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

fiercelyadverbUS /ˈfɪrsli/

in a physically fierce manner

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

foeman's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

glutverbUS /ɡlʌt/

overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

heroesnounUS /ˈhɪroʊz/

plural of “hero” — a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

holenounUS /hoʊl/

an opening into or through something

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/

toward home

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

horizon'snounUS /hərˈaɪzənz/

possessive form of “horizon” — the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

huenounUS /hjuː/

the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading She breathed, and in the breathing craved.

kissedverbUS /kɪst/

past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

lungsnounUS /lʌŋz/

plural of “lung” — either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

mutedadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtɪd/

in a softened tone

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

paintverbUS /peɪnt/

make a painting

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

pallidadjectiveUS /ˈpæləd/

abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

PluckedadjectiveUS /plʌkt/

of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

pouredverbUS /pɔːrd/

past form of “pour” — cause to run

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

ravedverbUS /reɪvd/

past form of “rave” — participate in an all-night techno dance party

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

raynounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

SabinenounUS /səˈbiːn/

a river in eastern Texas that flows south into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

SafetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She breathed, and in the breathing craved.

SheavesnounUS /ʃiːvz/

plural of “sheaf” — a package of several things tied together for carrying or storing

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

shrednounUS /ʃred/

a tiny or scarcely detectable amount

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

snakesnounUS /sneɪks/

plural of “snake” — limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

SouthnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

squeezeverbUS /skwiːz/

to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

swordnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

toilful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

torenounUS /tɔːr/

commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

unreluctant

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

valournoun

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

vengeancenounUS /ˈvendʒəns/

the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

victorynounUS /ˈvɪktəri/

a successful ending of a struggle or contest

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

washernounUS /ˈwɑːʃər/

someone who washes things for a living

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

wavedverbUS /weɪvd/

past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod

From this reading Environed as she was, at bay, Safety she kissed on her drawn sword, And waved for victory, for fresh victory waved: She craved for victory as her daily bread; For victory as her daily banquet raved.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Now had her glut of vengeance left her grey Of blood, who in her entrails fiercely tore To clutch and squeeze her snakes; herself the more Devitalizing: red washer Auroral ray; Desired if but to paint her pallid hue.

WivesnounUS /waɪvz/

plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Banners from South, from East, Sheaves of pale banners drooping hole and shred; The captive brides of valour, Sabine Wives Plucked from the foeman’s blushful bed, For glorious muted battle-tongues Of deeds along the horizon’s red, At cost of unreluctant lives; Her toilful heroes homeward poured, To give their fevered mother air of the lungs.

XIInoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading XII

Chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3 by George Meredith holds 123 sentences, grouped into 25 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3 contain?

Chapter 10 holds 123 sentences of Poems — Volume 3, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3 by George Meredith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 123 sentences, grouped into 25 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 10 of Poems — Volume 3?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Poems — Volume 3

Common questions about reading Poems — Volume 3 by George Meredith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Poems — Volume 3?

Yes. All 2059 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1383 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Poems — Volume 3 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1383, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Poems — Volume 3 take to read?

About 171 minutes of reading across 412 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Poems — Volume 3 section by section

How to work through Poems — Volume 3 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Poems — Volume 3 to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Poems — Volume 3

Words and structures a reader meets early in Poems — Volume 3, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Picture
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
South
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wester
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.