Camps Of Green
July 6, 2023Brother Of All, With Generous Hand
July 6, 2023By The Bivouac’s Fitful Flame
BY the bivouac’s fitful flame,
A procession winding around me, solemn and sweet and slow;–but first
I note,
The tents of the sleeping army, the fields’ and woods’ dim outline,
The darkness, lit by spots of kindled fire–the silence;
Like a phantom far or near an occasional figure moving;
The shrubs and trees, (as I lift my eyes they seem to be stealthily
watching me
While wind in procession thoughts, O tender and wondrous thoughts,
Of life and death–of home and the past and loved, and of those that
are far away;
A solemn and slow procession there as I sit on the ground,
By the bivouac’s fitful flame.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist, often referred to as the "father of free verse". His best-known work, "Leaves of Grass," is a celebration of American democracy, individualism, and the common people. Whitman's poetry also explored themes of sexuality and the body. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature.