Saturday, 28 January 2017

Adieu To A Soldier - Poem by Walt Whitman

ADIEU, O soldier! 
You of the rude campaigning, (which we shared,) 
The rapid march, the life of the camp,
The hot contention of opposing fronts- the long manoeuver,
Red battles with their slaughter,- the stimulus- the strong, terrific


game,
Spell of all brave and manly hearts- the trains of Time through you,
and like of you, all fill'd,
With war, and war's expression.

Adieu, dear comrade! 
Your mission is fulfill'd- but I, more warlike,
Myself, and this contentious soul of mine, 10
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads, with ambushes, opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis- often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out- aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression. 

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