The Gates of Nineveh by Robert E. Howard (Poem)
“The Gates of Nineveh” was first published in the July 1928 issue of Weird Tales magazine, and was later included in Always Comes Evening: The Collected Poems of Robert E. Howard—an anthology published in 1957, by Arkham House.
“The Gates of Nineveh” has since been republished in several Robert E. Howard poetry and story collections, and in specialist and little-known publications such as Blufftown Barbarian (#8, August 2001) and The Howard Review (September 2004).
About Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American writer of pulp fiction. Often considered to be the man who began the sword and sorcery subgenre, Howard was the creator of Conan the Barbarian.
Howard began writing fiction when he was just nine years old. In December 1922, aged 16, his work began paying off when The Tattler (Brownwood High School newspaper) printed two of his stories: “‘Golden Hope Christmas” and “West is West”. Then, in 1924, after years of having his stories rejected by Weird Tales, he made his first sale to the magazine with a caveman story called “Spear and Fang”. This marked the start of Howard’s career as a pulp fiction writer and Weird Tales subsequently became one of his main outlets for weird fiction.
The Gates of Nineveh
By Robert E. Howard
These are the gates of Nineveh: here
Sargon came when his wars were won
Gazed at the turrets looming clear
Boldly etched in the morning sun
Down from his chariot Sargon came
Tossed his helmet upon the sand
Dropped his sword with its blade like flame
Stroked his beard with his empty hand
“Towers are flaunting their banners red
The people greet me with song and mirth
But a weird is on me,” Sargon said
“And I see the end of the tribes of earth”
“Cities crumble, and chariots rust
I see through a fog that is strange and gray
All kingly things fade back to the dust
Even the gates of Nineveh”
Robert E. Howard (1906 – 1936)