Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War Part 13

The sufferance of her race is shown, And retrospect of life, Which now too late deliverance dawns upon; Yet is she not at strife.

Her children's children they shall know The good withheld from her; And so her reverie takes prophetic cheer-- In spirit she sees the stir

Far down the depth of thousand years, And marks the revel s.h.i.+ne; Her dusky face is lit with sober light, Sibylline, yet benign.

The Apparition.

(A Retrospect.)

Convulsions came; and, where the field Long slept in pastoral green, A goblin-mountain was upheaved (Sure the scared sense was all deceived), Marl-glen and slag-ravine.

The unreserve of Ill was there, The clinkers in her last retreat; But, ere the eye could take it in, Or mind could comprehension win, It sunk!--and at our feet.

So, then, Solidity's a crust-- The core of fire below; All may go well for many a year, But who can think without a fear Of horrors that happen so?

Magnanimity Baffled.

"Sharp words we had before the fight; But--now the fight is done-- Look, here's my hand," said the Victor bold, "Take it--an honest one!

What, holding back? I mean you well; Though worsted, you strove stoutly, man; The odds were great; I honor you; Man honors man.

"Still silent, friend? can grudges be?

Yet am I held a foe?-- Turned to the wall, on his cot he lies-- Never I'll leave him so!

Brave one! I here implore your hand; Dumb still? all fellows.h.i.+p fled?

Nay, then, I'll have this stubborn hand"

He s.n.a.t.c.hed it--it was dead.

On the Slain Collegians.[20]

Youth is the time when hearts are large, And stirring wars Appeal to the spirit which appeals in turn To the blade it draws.

If woman incite, and duty show (Though made the mask of Cain), Or whether it be Truth's sacred cause, Who can aloof remain That shares youth's ardor, uncooled by the snow Of wisdom or sordid gain?

The liberal arts and nurture sweet Which give his gentleness to man-- Train him to honor, lend him grace Through bright examples meet-- That culture which makes never wan With underminings deep, but holds The surface still, its fitting place, And so gives sunniness to the face And bravery to the heart; what troops Of generous boys in happiness thus bred-- Saturnians through life's Tempe led, Went from the North and came from the South, With golden mottoes in the mouth, To lie down midway on a b.l.o.o.d.y bed.

Woe for the homes of the North, And woe for the seats of the South; All who felt life's spring in prime, And were swept by the wind of their place and time-- All lavish hearts, on whichever side, Of birth urbane or courage high, Armed them for the stirring wars-- Armed them--some to die.

Apollo-like in pride, Each would slay his Python--caught The maxims in his temple taught-- Aflame with sympathies whose blaze Perforce enwrapped him--social laws, Friends.h.i.+p and kin, and by-gone days-- Vows, kisses--every heart unmoors, And launches into the seas of wars.

What could they else--North or South?

Each went forth with blessings given By priests and mothers in the name of Heaven; And honor in both was chief.

Warred one for Right, and one for Wrong?

So be it; but they both were young-- Each grape to his cl.u.s.ter clung, All their elegies are sung.

The anguish of maternal hearts Must search for balm divine; But well the striplings bore their fated parts (The heavens all parts a.s.sign)-- Never felt life's care or cloy.

Each bloomed and died an unabated Boy; Nor dreamed what death was--thought it mere Sliding into some vernal sphere.

They knew the joy, but leaped the grief, Like plants that flower ere comes the leaf-- Which storms lay low in kindly doom, And kill them in their flush of bloom.

America.

I.

Where the wings of a sunny Dome expand I saw a Banner in gladsome air-- Starry, like Berenice's Hair-- Afloat in broadened bravery there; With undulating long-drawn flow, As rolled Brazilian billows go Voluminously o'er the Line.

The Land reposed in peace below; The children in their glee Were folded to the exulting heart Of young Maternity.

II.

Later, and it streamed in fight When tempest mingled with the fray, And over the spear-point of the shaft I saw the ambiguous lightning play.

Valor with Valor strove, and died: Fierce was Despair, and cruel was Pride; And the lorn Mother speechless stood, Pale at the fury of her brood.

III.

Yet later, and the silk did wind Her fair cold form; Little availed the s.h.i.+ning shroud, Though ruddy in hue, to cheer or warm.

A watcher looked upon her low, and said-- She sleeps, but sleeps, she is not dead.

But in that sleep contortion showed The terror of the vision there-- A silent vision unavowed, Revealing earth's foundation bare, And Gorgon in her hidden place.

It was a thing of fear to see So foul a dream upon so fair a face, And the dreamer lying in that starry shroud.

IV.

But from the trance she sudden broke-- The trance, or death into promoted life; At her feet a s.h.i.+vered yoke, And in her aspect turned to heaven No trace of pa.s.sion or of strife-- A clear calm look. It spake of pain, But such as purifies from stain-- Sharp pangs that never come again-- And triumph repressed by knowledge meet, Power dedicate, and hope grown wise, And youth matured for age's seat-- Law on her brow and empire in her eyes.

So she, with graver air and lifted flag; While the shadow, chased by light, Fled along the far-drawn height, And left her on the crag.

Verses Inscriptive and Memorial

On the Home Guards who perished in the Defense of Lexington, Missouri.

The men who here in harness died Fell not in vain, though in defeat.

They by their end well fortified The Cause, and built retreat (With memory of their valor tried) For emulous hearts in many an after fray-- Hearts sore beset, which died at bay.