The Victor Of Antietam
When tempest winnowed grain from bran;
And men were looking for a man,
Authority called you to the van,
McClellan:
Along the line the plaudit ran,
As later when Antietam's cheers began.
Through storm-cloud and eclipse must move
Each Cause and Man, dear to the stars and Jove;
Nor always can the wisest tell
Deferred fulfillment from the hopeless knell-
The struggler from the floundering ne'er-do-well.
A pall-cloth on the Seven Days fell,
McClellan:
Unprosperously heroical!
Who could Antietam's wreath foretell?
Authority called you; then, in mist
And loom of jeopardy-dismissed.
But staring peril soon appalled;
You, the Discarded, she recalled-
Recalled you, nor endured delay;
And forth you rode upon a blasted way,
Arrayed Pope's rout, and routed Lee's array,
McClellan:
Your tent was choked with captured flags that day,
McClellan:
Antietam was a telling fray.
Recalled you; and she heard your drum
Advancing through the ghastly gloom.
You manned the wall, you propped the Dome,
You stormed the powerful stormer home.
McClellan:
Antietam's cannon long shall boom.
At Alexandria, left alone,
McClellan:
Your veterans sent from you, and thrown
To fields and fortunes all unknown-
What thoughts were yours, revealed to none,
While faithful still you labored on-
Hearing the far Manassas gun!
McClellan:
Only Antietam could atone.
You fought in the front (an evil day,
McClellan)-
The fore-front of the first assay;
The Cause went sounding, groped its way;
[...] Read more
poem by Herman Melville
Added by Poetry Lover
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