Swept the storm of battle by,
‘Neath Virginia’s glowing sky;
Left alone to bleed and die,
Lay a wounded boy.
From the battle-field he crept—
Found a couch of flowers and slept;
Shall he die alone, unwept,
A widowed mother’s joy?
Now the blood had ceased to flow
From the gash that scarred his brow—
Grasping an o’erhanging bough,
Half reclined he lay.
Clotted blood had sealed his eyes:
He wiped it; then, with sweet surprise,
Gazed on flowers whose rainbow dyes
Adorned each pendant spray.
The showering petals off he threw—
Fragrant cups that brimm’d with dew,
To his parched lips he drew—
A life-reviving treasure.
Nature, in her kindly arms,
Held the boy: her simple charms
Soothed his pains, forbade alarms,
And brimm’d his eyes with pleasure.
“Lovely flowers!” he cried, “how sweet!”
Vain he strove to gain his feet;
Shall the mother ever greet,
With fond embrace, her boy!
Help was near: a party found
The youth, and raised him from the ground—
Bathed and dressed each festered wound,
And sent him on with joy.
In his hand a bouquet rare
Held he—Southern violets fair—
Lilies of the vale were there—
He culled them where he lay.
Nature’s charms have magic power,
Even in dread and dangerous hour—
Hue, or fragrance of a flower,
May cheer the saddest day.
(Janet Hamilton)
More Poetry from Janet Hamilton:
Janet Hamilton Poems based on Topics: War & Peace, Youth, Mothers, Nature, Flowers, Power, Cry, Joy & Excitement, Pleasure, Parties- Sketches of Village Character In Days "O' Langsyne" (Janet Hamilton Poems)
- A Wheen Aul' Memories (Janet Hamilton Poems)
- Mary Lee: A Ballad (Janet Hamilton Poems)
- A Ballad (Janet Hamilton Poems)
- The Ballad O' Mary Muiren (Janet Hamilton Poems)
- Grannie's Crack Aboot The Famine In Auld Scotlan' In 1739-40 (Janet Hamilton Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Nature Poems, War & Peace Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Youth Poems, Flowers Poems, Cry Poems, Power Poems, Mothers Poems, Pleasure Poems, Parties PoemsBased on Keywords: hour-, fair-, ground-, festered, brow-, brimm, threw-, drew-, life-reviving