Poems (Trask)/After the Battle
AFTER THE BATTLE.
Night settles on the mountain That flamed an hour ago With all the grand insignia Of sunset's fiery glow; And through the purple heavens, High in the amethyst, The solemn stars are gleaming white Through the enshrouding mist.
For us, they look on quiet; On peaceful, happy homes; We hear no roar of cannon, No crash of warlike drums; We see no battle-banners, Bloody, and stained, and rent; For us, no smoke of carnage Clouds the blue firmament.
O stars, and sweet moon, hanging Up in the breathless height! What scenes of desolation Ye look upon, to-night! On green fields blushing crimson; On bright swords wet with gore, Dropped from strong hands which grasped them, But ne'er will grasp them more!
The night is gathering slowly; Some faces lie so calm, You think the dead ears listen To the eternal psalm!—Lie blankly gazing upward, Unheedful night has come, The time the soldier folds his arms And dreams of friends and home.
They lie there all together, Rebel, and Union true; Close, side by side, the uniforms Of gray, and Federal blue; White-haired and bearded veterans, Youths with their locks of gold, Whose pale, unchanging faces, Now, never will grow old!
The living claim our weeping; The dead, why sorrow o'er? They have passed unto God, and He Cares for them evermore; They've crossed the mystic river And reached the shadowy lands,—We follow them no further,— We leave them in His hands.
O God! our hearts cry daily For all this strife to cease! Give us the signal victory, And give us lasting peace! Remove all strife and bitterness From our loved land afar, And let the time come speedily When there shall be no war!