Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War

by Herman Melville

An Epitaph.

When Sunday tidings from the front

Made pale the priest and people,

And heavily the blessing went,

And bells were dumb in the steeple;

The Soldier’s widow (summering sweerly here,

In shade by waving beeches lent)

Felt deep at heart her faith content,

And priest and people borrowed of her cheer.