I Am He That Aches With Love
July 6, 2023Hours Continuing Long
July 6, 2023Hush’d Be the Camps Today
Hush’d be the camps today,
And soldiers let us drape our war-worn weapons,
And each with musing soul retire to celebrate,
Our dear commander’s death.
No more for him life’s stormy conflicts,
Nor victory, nor defeat–no more time’s dark events,
Charging like ceaseless clouds across the sky.
But sing poet in our name,
Sing of the love we bore him–because you, dweller in camps, know it truly.
As they invault the coffin there,
Sing–as they close the doors of earth upon him–one verse,
For the heavy hearts of soldiers.
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.