Home ⇒ 📌Walt Whitman ⇒ Adieu to a Soldier
Adieu to a Soldier
ADIEU, O soldier!
You of the rude campaigning, (which we shared,)
The rapid march, the life of the camp,
The hot contention of opposing fronts-the long manoeuver,
Red battles with their slaughter,-the stimulus-the strong, terrific game,
Spell of all brave and manly hearts-the trains of Time through you, and like of you,
all
fill’d,
With war, and war’s expression.
Adieu, dear comrade!
Your mission is fulfill’d-but I, more warlike,
Myself, and this contentious soul of mine,
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads, with ambushes, opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis-often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out-aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression.
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