The bodies lay along the way,
for about a miles ride
In the smoke filled air, the bugles blare
was heard from side to side
With his men stood he, a tough Yankee
full of his countries pride
Never admit defeat nor retreat
the dust was in his hair
All was a blur, the cannonballs whir
with explosions everywhere
"For my black brother and our Union to recover
by God! I’ll kill I swear"
With gallantry rare, beyond compare
his uniform and loyalty true blue
But his execration was bold and heart cold
when killing there was to do
“For prisoners we’ve no cell! Send them all to hell!”,
toward the enemy he flew
Now standing there, in clothes threadbare,
a young boy thin and pale
And deliberately, unarmed stood he,
the Confederate Flag to unveil
Controversy born, between flag and family torn,
now nothing would avail
"No clemency now" the Yankee did scowl,
his hand he would not stay
Saber in the air, his blade did tear
his little brothers life away
Through his heart driven, the steel sending him to heaven,
where there is love always
-
Author:
sorenbarrett (
Offline) - Published: September 27th, 2026 03:19
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 22
- Users favorite of this poem: Paul Bell, Tristan Robert Lange, Cedrick
- In collections: Family, Narrative.
Offline)
Comments10
A deep write and much enjoyed
Thanks so much for the review Norman appreciated as usual
most welcome
Good write SB.
Thank you Orchi I appreciate it
You get a lot of dumb wars, but the American civil war definitely rates highly.
Though I know a lot of states would probably disagree with me.
Rows of soldiers graves around the world should really teach us something, but for some reason we keep adding to them.
Thank you Paul for the read and comment. Virtually all wars are dumb based on greed, revenge, religion where my God is bigger than your God all dumb to me.
Don't worry, AI wont discriminate, it will just wipe us all out.
Good point
War invokes the monsters lying within ordinary men. Ideology often overrides love. Patriotism has a face of cruelty in extreme circumstances and sometimes in benign situations as well. Righteousness may be a self-formulating fog wherein he kills his own brother fully convinced he is serving a higher cause. At what cost though?
Thank you Cryptic for this take on it. Yes why is it we all think we are right, others are wrong, we have the only true God others are false and what higher cause than love of one's fellow man. Sadly we do not learn much from the past
Welcome dear Soren 👍🏻🕊️
Brilliant work.
Thanks very much my friend. Your words mean a lot.
You have captured the brutal paradox of war beautifully, dear friend—where loyalty, ideology, and family collide. The stark ending leaves a troubling ambiguity about whether conviction can survive the cost of violence.
Soheil my friend thank you so much for the read and most concise and wonderful review. I could not have said it better myself and it is much appreciated.
You are most welcome, my friend. Your poetry gives plenty to reflect on, and it is always a pleasure to read your poem and share a few thoughts. Your appreciation means a great deal to me.
I feel the same about yours and am looking forward to the next post
Thank you very much.
Hello, Soren,
"By God! I'll kill, I swear.".That's the line that got me and then to smite one's own brother. You have really captured the hellishness of war and the red rage that blinds men to do the unspeakable, the incomprehensible acts of violence. The American civil war was up close, eye to eye, bloody, where men were fithing out of hate, Godless, as is always the case when one is in the heat of battle. Reasoning, principle and humanity lost in the mayhem of blood thirsty beasts trying to slaughter each other; a madness unhinged which we are still witnessing today in many parts of the world. An excelllent poem, Soren and well worth the read, heartbreaking as it surely is. Very well done indeed.
Wishing you all the very best,
Tony.
Thank you most kindly for the review Tony I deeply appreciate your most gracious comment. Yes my great grandfather fought for the south under Stonewall Jackson as a sharpshooter. After when he was asked what he thought of it he said It was all a bunch of foolishness and to me that is what war is. His brother that fought for the North was never allowed to return home.
oren, this was brutal to sit with. That kind of division leaves nobody untouched, no matter which side they think they’re standing on. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Thanks so much my friend for the read and comment it means a lot. Your words are apply to most all wars and I have had family fight in most all of them.
I'm sure this Scenario could have happened.
A family divided by loyalties.
Remembering 'North and South' that brilliant drama of the 90s.
Thanks so much Kevin a war that divided a nation and families divided part of mine as well. Who knows what things would be like if it had been different. I appreciate your support my friend.
Happy to oblige.
Sadly, the alarming truth of it just doesn't cut any deeper .. well writ brother & painfully read .. Neville
Thank you Neville I appreciated your review my friend and your kind words of support.
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