The Death of Lincoln
July 6, 2023Thanatopsis
July 6, 2023The Death of Abraham Lincoln
Oh, slow to smite and swift to spare,
Gentle and merciful and just!
Who, in the fear of God, didst bear
The sword of power, a nation’s trust.
In sorrow by thy bier we stand,
Amid the awe that hushes all,
And speak the anguish of a land
That shook with horror at thy fall.
Thy task is done; the bound are free;
We bear thee to an honored grave,
Whose proudest monument shall be
The broken fetters of the slave.
Pure was thy life; its bloody close
Hath placed thee with the sons of light,
Among the noble host of those
Who perished in the cause of Right.
William Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) was an American poet, journalist, and editor who was best known for his works that celebrated the beauty of nature. He was one of the most prominent poets of the American Romantic movement and his most famous works include "Thanatopsis" and "To a Waterfowl." Bryant was also a political activist and was involved in the abolitionist movement.