The Battle of Gaugamela

The Persians gathered in numbers untold

Each soldier was clad in purple and gold

And the Great King of Asia smiled as they amassed

Unafraid of the Greek host as they past

Young Alexander glanced at the plain, open and wide

And fear did not vex his Macedonian pride

Though the might of the Persians was beyond human reach

Like the stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach

The plume of his helm was white, like fresh snow on the grass

And the shine of his bronze was like water or glass

And strong was his sword in the face of peril and flight

And the coat of his steed was as black as the night

And upon those ranks was the evening suns gleam

With the mystical beauty of a young poets dream

And the enemy's banners waved proud in the sun

To let the Greeks know that the fight had begun

Alexander then raised his sword to the sky

And from his mouth came a great battle cry

The hosts of the hoplites uplifted their lance

And in the shape of a phalanx their form did advance

Alexander did draw the foes cavalry to his flanks

In order to create a gap in their ranks

Darius sent forth his horsemen to go

In order to strike a definitive blow

Darius sent forth chariots with scythes

Onto each wheel was fastened a knife

But the Greeks stepped aside forming a gap

Leading the doomed charioteers into a trap

Then Alexander ordered his companions to charge

Himself leading his cavalry into a large

Host of Persians they stuck with their spears

Instilling among them untamable fears

Alexander thrusted himself in the face of the foe

Watching his forces stampede as they go

About Persian war machine breaking under his might

As Darius and his guard fled out of sight

And just when Alexander was about to pursue the king

he heard news from Parmenion about his left wing

He could have pursed Darius and his horses

But having in doing so risked losing his forces

And there lay the fallen the wounded and lame

And roar of the battle was like thunder and flame

and the sheen of the swords and the chime of the mail

was accompanied by screams and the trumpets loud wail

After the battle many lay felled

And the King of Macedon glanced at the plain and beheld

That the conquest of the world would come soon or late

And all would bow down to Alexander the Great