Poem by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Alliterativism

(The latest school)

See the flying French depart
Like the bees of Bonaparte,
Swarming up with a most venomous vitality.
Over Baden and Bavaria,
And Brighton and Bulgaria,
Thus violating Belgian neutrality.

And the injured Prussian may
Not unreasonably say
'Why, it cannot be so small a nationality!
Since Brixton and Batavia,
Bolivia and Belgravia,
Are bursting with the Belgian neutrality.'

Beluchistan and Bonn,
Braemar and Babylon
All feel the French offence against legality,
And Boston and Bilbao
And Bucks and Bulawayo
Will perish for their Belgian neutrality.

By pure Alliteration
You may trace this curious nation,
And respect this somewhat scattered principality;
When you see a B in Both
You may take your Bible oath
You are violating Belgian neutrality. 

1. The March of the Black Mountain
2. Blessed Are the Peacemakers
3. The Crusader Returns from Captivity
4. To M. E. W.
5. Glencoe

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