A Requiem
Skimming lightly, wheeling still,
The swallows fly low
Over the fields in cloudy days,
The forest-field of Shiloh –
Over the field where April rain
Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain
Through the pause of night
That followed the Sunday fight
Around the church of Shiloh –
The church, so lone, the log-built one,
That echoed to many a parting groan
And natural prayer
Of dying foeman mingled there –
Foeman at morn, but friends at eve –
Fame or country least their care:
(What like a bullet can undeceive!)
But now they lie low,
While over them the swallows skim,
And all is hushed at Shiloh.
(Herman Melville)
More Poetry from Herman Melville:
Herman Melville Poems based on Topics: Night, Death & Dying, Pain, Christianity- Bridegroom Dick (Herman Melville Poems)
- The Haglets (Herman Melville Poems)
- The Victor Of Antietam (Herman Melville Poems)
- Stonewall Jackson (Ascribed To A Virginian) (Herman Melville Poems)
- A Meditation (Herman Melville Poems)
- On The Slain Collegians (Herman Melville Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night Poems, Death & Dying Poems, Christianity Poems, Pain PoemsBased on Keywords: skim, solaced, skimming, requiem, shiloh, foeman, log-built, undeceive, forest-field