I am sitting behind
this big ol' tree.
Laying in wait.
Waiting for Picketts orders.
Just across that field,
just over yonder,
my brother Billy
dressed in Yankee blue.
He's up there waiting.
We are gathered together now.
It's time to go.
My muskets loaded,
my knees are weak,
but my spirit is strong.
Across the field we go,
marching across and
through enemy fire.
The shells, the cannons and the dead.
There's the fence I see
my fellow comrades climbing over.
Enemy fire is heavy
and the smoke is thick.
It's hard to see in front of me.
The grays blending with
the blues and the dead
and wounded pile up.
I inch closer to the fence.
I climb over the fence
and duck behind an unmaned cannon.
I'm out of bullets so
I fix my bayonet.
To my left I watch many
a good boy die.
To my right the
slaughter is still the same.
I clench my weapon, it's time to go.
I rise to my shaky feet,
amid the order to charge.
Running into enemy fire,
I take a shot but in the arm.
My rebel hollar breaks free.
That boy in blue I see.
I lunge my bayonet deep into
his Yankee heart.
As Billy dies it's my heart that breaks.
..I curse this bloody war..
Author notes
This poem is another about Americas Civil War 1861-1865. I chose to write about 2 brothers that both faught in the war one on the side of the Union and the other on the side of the confederecy, as many of the soldiers found themselves in this same situation.
Written February 16th, 2006
A contest entry
- Poems on the Civil War by ourgirlFriday.
600 points, ended April 24, 2008, 9 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Give Me Southern History by maktub.
400 points, ended May 18, 2 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 21 of 21
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Interesting write ...
reminds me of "The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come", which dealt with the same thing, except that it was written by a man who actually fought in the Civil War, and was more historically accurate than most of what we read now. I was lucky enough to find a copy of the book still available in the Public Library here. I was really surprised.
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Can honestly say that I hav enever heard of that book. Though I have studid the Civil War for many years and have been to the Gettysburg battlefield twice with plans of returning. Hope that you find this accurate as well.
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There obviously were ...
many families split down the middle when the war came, so there's not much that could be really inaccurate about this.
I highly recommend you read "The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come" though. It's a great book, even though it reflects the mores and cultural values of a time long past.
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Brother against brother... it happened all the time. Well written!
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I enjoyed this. Definitely sad, poigant, and very well written.
Rather an interesting, and good twist to the Civil War....beautiful....so tragic.
Good luck!
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thank you and i hope you get many more entries in your contest
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Very sad war epic... I can't help but wonder sometimes, if life would have been different if the "other side" had won? True we will never know... but I still wonder??? Congrats. on the Bronze!!!
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This is a fantastic poem, Congratulations
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Very good, KB, and very poignant. This would be Pickett's charge at Gettysburg? (Forgive me for asking, non-American here). Congratulations on the bronze.
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Thank you for the comment Mairi, and you are correct. It would be Picketts Charge in the battle of Gettysburg. I have a strong fascination with this war and have studied it for many years, somewhat of a minor historian in this field and have been to Gettysburg battlefield twice, with plans of taking my kids there as well...an excellent learning experience.
I wish I had known sooner that we could have entered more because I have 2 other civil war poems, one however, being erotic so that would not have been allowed but the other one would have been accepted.
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This is so sad, it happened a lot. Brother against brother. Imagine the guilt if you were on one side your brother on the other and he didn't come home. You would always wonder if it was your bullet that ended his life. Excellent poem good luck in the contest
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Well done!
Well chosen theme! Good luck in the contest!
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i would feel so much of the pain of my brother if this was me... it was aamazing that it lasted as long as it did when they were put in this situation... absolutly brilliant write that you have penned
cheers
Jen
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Wow this is so chilling. Sadly this sort of thing happened a lot during the civil war. This piece really brought me back in time (even though I wasn't born yet).
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This is a awesome write. As you said many brothers went against each other in the civil war.
Emerald -
This was a fantastice write my friend a delight to read best of luck in the contest.
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Nice job! You know how I love the Civil War!
It reminds me of the poem I wrote called "The Cause". Except this was far more exciting and had an interesting yet true ending. Nice work here thanks for entering and good luck!
Belle ~ -
I really like the general idea of this poem, but feel like their are two many references to "I"...it would be a lot more profound to lose a few of the I's, that is understood, at least that is how I see it
good luck
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This reminds me a lot of my poem Logan-Berries. War Is a very sad thing, I have lost friends and family in it so I know it sucks. Thanks so much for your comment on my poetry!
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excellent use of 1st person vision - i like your poem it is sadly beautiful
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Well this is a very deep and vividly written poem, i can see myself there as i read each line. You have done a great job capturing a period of history, good job my love.
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