Poem: “The Dying Veteran” by Walt Whitman

Poems Of War

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American Literature – Children Books – American Poetry – Walt Whitman – Poems by Walt Whitman – Poems Of War
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The Dying Veteran

(A Long Island incident—early part of the nineteenth century.)

Amid these days of order, ease, prosperity,
Amid the current songs of beauty, peace, decorum,
I cast a reminiscence—(likely ‘t will offend you,I heard it in my boyhood)—More than a generation since,
A queer old savage man, a fighter under Washington himself
(Large, brave, cleanly, hot-blooded, no talker, rather spiritualistic,
Had fought in the ranks—fought well—had been all through the Revolutionary war),
Lay dying—sons, daughters, church-deacons, lovingly tending him,
Sharping their sense, their ears, towards his murmuring, half-caught words:
“Let me return again to my war-days,
To the sights and scenes—to forming the line of battle,
To the scouts ahead reconnoitering,
To the cannons, the grim artillery,
To the galloping aids, carrying orders,
To the wounded, the fallen, the heat, the suspense,
The perfume strong, the smoke, the deafening noise;
Away with your life of peace!—your joys of peace!
Give me my old wild battle-life again!”

< < < Song of the Banner at Daybreak
The Wound-Dresser > > >

American Literature – Children Books – American Poetry – Walt Whitman – Poems by Walt Whitman – Poems Of War

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Poems Of War

The Dying Veteran

(A Long Island incident—early part of the nineteenth century.)

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