Adieu to a Soldier. - A poem by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman - 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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Added: Feb 7 2004 | Viewed: 19496 times |

Comments (6)

Adieu to a Soldier. - Comments and Information
Poet: Walt Whitman Poem: 4. Adieu to a Soldier. Volume: Leaves of Grass - 10. Marches Now the War is Over Year: Published/Written in 1900 Poem of the Day: Nov 11 2012 Comment 6 of 6, added on November 11th, 2012 at 6:36 AM. comment Stroll by a War Cemetery: Sprouting amid fresh green grass Stones All lulled within peaceful green grove, Sleeping below, the brave soldiers’ bones And between the graves there flutters a dove Feathers and the bones hear no cacophony Here in melodious calm lay a war cemetery And I every day walk near the place Quietude and white stones within greenery admire And long for the resting space No shriek there up or low and no lust of desire And no fighting voices of cacophony And none of the shadows in the city Then the tombs I leave behind and a song And walk into confusion of vertical tall stones Here and there echo the footsteps of a throng And hollow speech of the competing tones And dream of the morning walk I carry Of tomorrow’s stroll near the war cemetery Altair Laahad (All Rights Reserved) Altair Laahad Comment 5 of 6, added on December 18th, 2007 at 4:52 PM. THIS POEM IS REALLY GOOD I READ IT TO MYSELF EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. IT HELPS ME RELAX, THIS AND MY TEDDY BEAR JOE BREDL from United States Comment 4 of 6, added on October 6th, 2004 at 2:48 AM. Adieu to a soldier is the dream of a man whos heart is sour from fighting and like so many of our war veterans today, will never forget the horrible things thay have seen. Go Elesandro Elesandro from Mexico More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Adieu to a Soldier., has received 6 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own.

Poem Info
Poet: Walt Whitman Poem: 4. Adieu to a Soldier. Volume: Leaves of Grass - 10. Marches Now the War is Over Year: Published/Written in 1900 Last read: 2013-06-19 11:32:44 Poem of the Day: Nov 11 2012 Viewed 19496 times. Added Feb 7 2004.

Whitman Info
Biography More Poems (330 poems) Walt Whitman books