Melville Book Club: Some Civil War Poems

The Portent
by Herman Melville
Hanging from the beam, 
      Slowly swaying (such the law), 
Gaunt the shadow on your green, 
      Shenandoah! 
The cut is on the crown 
      (Lo, John Brown), 
And the stabs shall heal no more. 

Hidden in the cap 
      Is the anguish none can draw; 
So your future veils its face, 
      Shenandoah! 
But the streaming beard is shown 
      (Weird John Brown), 
The meteor of the war.

4 thoughts on “Melville Book Club: Some Civil War Poems

  1. I like the approach. It feels like a modern poster, not what you'd expect for a Melville likeness. If makes him seem fresher. Noice!

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