Walt Whitman Poems : Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field One Night

Vigil strange I kept on the field one night;
When you my son and my comrade dropt at my side that day,
One look I but gave which your dear eyes return'd with a look I
shall never forget,
One touch of your hand to mine O boy, reach'd up as you lay on the ground,
Then onward I sped in the battle, the even-contested battle,
Till late in the night reliev'd to the place at last again I made my way,
Found you in death so cold dear comrade, found your body son of
responding kisses, (never again on earth responding,)
Bared your face in the starlight, curious the scene, cool blew the
moderate night-wind,
Long there and then in vigil I stood, dimly around me the
battlefield spreading,
Vigil wondrous and vigil sweet there in the fragrant silent night,
But not a tear fell, not even a long-drawn sigh, long, long I gazed,
Then on the earth partially reclining sat by your side leaning my
chin in my hands,
Passing sweet hours, immortal and mystic hours with you dearest
comrade--not a tear, not a word,
Vigil of silence, love and death, vigil for you my son and my soldier,
As onward silently stars aloft, eastward new ones upward stole,
Vigil final for you brave boy, (I could not save you, swift was your death,
I faithfully loved you and cared for you living, I think we shall
surely meet again,)
Till at latest lingering of the night, indeed just as the dawn appear'd,
My comrade I wrapt in his blanket, envelop'd well his form,
Folded the blanket well, tucking it carefully over head and
carefully under feet,
And there and then and bathed by the rising sun, my son in his
grave, in his rude-dug grave I deposited,
Ending my vigil strange with that, vigil of night and battle-field dim,
Vigil for boy of responding kisses, (never again on earth responding,)
Vigil for comrade swiftly slain, vigil I never forget, how as day
brighten'd,
I rose from the chill ground and folded my soldier well in his blanket,
And buried him where he fell.

Submited by

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 17:25

Poesia Consagrada :

No votes yet

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman's picture
Offline
Title: Membro
Last seen: 14 years 10 weeks ago
Joined: 04/08/2011
Posts:
Points: 849

Add comment

Login to post comments

other contents of Walt Whitman

Topic Title Replies Views Last Postsort icon Language
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Mediums 0 2.719 04/10/2011 - 23:11 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest, and the Road Unknown 0 3.511 04/10/2011 - 23:09 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Mannahatta 0 4.204 04/10/2011 - 23:07 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Lo Victress on the Peaks 0 4.649 04/09/2011 - 16:17 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Long, Too Long America 0 4.581 04/09/2011 - 16:16 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - L. of G.'s Purport 0 3.178 04/09/2011 - 16:15 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Life 0 2.674 04/09/2011 - 16:13 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Laws for Creations 0 3.163 04/09/2011 - 16:11 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - The Last Invocation 0 3.641 04/09/2011 - 16:10 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Last of Ebb, and Daylight Waning 0 3.978 04/09/2011 - 16:09 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Kosmos 0 3.991 04/09/2011 - 16:09 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Joy, Shipmate, Joy! 0 3.295 04/09/2011 - 16:08 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Was Looking a Long While 0 4.056 04/09/2011 - 16:06 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Italian Music in Dakota 0 2.464 04/09/2011 - 16:05 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Sit and Look Out 0 4.450 04/09/2011 - 16:04 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Sing the Body Electric 0 3.035 04/09/2011 - 16:02 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Saw Old General at Bay 0 6.116 04/09/2011 - 15:59 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing 0 3.054 04/09/2011 - 15:58 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Interpolation Sounds 0 5.712 04/09/2011 - 15:57 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - In Paths Untrodden 0 3.803 04/09/2011 - 15:57 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - In Cabin'd Ships at Sea 0 3.169 04/09/2011 - 15:55 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Hear It Was Charged Against Me 0 3.306 04/09/2011 - 15:54 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Heard You Solemn-Sweet Pipes of the Organ 0 5.205 04/09/2011 - 15:53 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - I Hear America Singing 0 3.807 04/09/2011 - 15:52 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman - Hush'd Be the Camps To-Day [May 4, 1865] 0 4.289 04/09/2011 - 15:51 English