Poem - The Dying Soldier

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THE DYING SOLDIER
Brother soldier! Come up nearer,
For my limbs are growing cold;
And thy presence seemeth dearer,
When thy arms around me fold;
I am dying, soldiers, dying;
Soon you'll miss me from the camp,
For my form will soon be lying,
'Neath the earth so cold and damp.

Listen brother soldiers, listen!
I have something I would say,
Ere my eyes are closed forever
To the lovely light of day;
I am going - surely going -
But my faith in God is strong,
I die happy - willing - knowing
That He doeth nothing wrong.

Tell my father when you greet him,
That in death I prayed for him -
And I hope that I shall meet him
In the world that's free from sin.
Dearest mother: God assist her -
now that she is growing old -
Say her boy would glad have kissed her
When his lips grew pale and cold.

Brother soldiers! catch each whisper -
'Tis my wife I speak of now,
Tell, oh! tell her how I missed her,
When the fever burned my brow,
Tell her she must kiss my babe-
Like the kiss I last impressed -
Hold her, as when last I held her,
Closely folded to my breast.

Tell my dear wife - may God bless her-
She was very dear to me;
Would I could once more caress her,
And her lovely face could see!
Tell my dear ones I remember
Every kindly parting word,
And my heart has been kept tender
By the thought their memories stirred.

Brother soldiers, let me see you
Press each hand before I die.
My good, kind friends, I'm loth to leave you,
Receive my fond, my last good bye.
Hark! I hear my Savior calling!
Tis His voice - I know it well.
When I'm gone, oh don't be weeping,
Soldiers, here's my last farewell.

Reprinted from the Mobile Tribune, in the Southern Banner, Mar. 26, 1862, page 1.
 
4668851.jpg

THE DYING SOLDIER
Brother soldier! Come up nearer,
For my limbs are growing cold;
And thy presence seemeth dearer,
When thy arms around me fold;
I am dying, soldiers, dying;
Soon you'll miss me from the camp,
For my form will soon be lying,
'Neath the earth so cold and damp.

Listen brother soldiers, listen!
I have something I would say,
Ere my eyes are closed forever
To the lovely light of day;
I am going - surely going -
But my faith in God is strong,
I die happy - willing - knowing
That He doeth nothing wrong.

Tell my father when you greet him,
That in death I prayed for him -
And I hope that I shall meet him
In the world that's free from sin.
Dearest mother: God assist her -
now that she is growing old -
Say her boy would glad have kissed her
When his lips grew pale and cold.

Brother soldiers! catch each whisper -
'Tis my wife I speak of now,
Tell, oh! tell her how I missed her,
When the fever burned my brow,
Tell her she must kiss my babe-
Like the kiss I last impressed -
Hold her, as when last I held her,
Closely folded to my breast.

Tell my dear wife - may God bless her-
She was very dear to me;
Would I could once more caress her,
And her lovely face could see!
Tell my dear ones I remember
Every kindly parting word,
And my heart has been kept tender
By the thought their memories stirred.

Brother soldiers, let me see you
Press each hand before I die.
My good, kind friends, I'm loth to leave you,
Receive my fond, my last good bye.
Hark! I hear my Savior calling!
Tis His voice - I know it well.
When I'm gone, oh don't be weeping,
Soldiers, here's my last farewell.

Reprinted from the Mobile Tribune, in the Southern Banner, Mar. 26, 1862, page 1.

Beautiful. I'm not much on poetry, but I love this.
 
4668851.jpg

THE DYING SOLDIER
Brother soldier! Come up nearer,
For my limbs are growing cold;
And thy presence seemeth dearer,
When thy arms around me fold;
I am dying, soldiers, dying;
Soon you'll miss me from the camp,
For my form will soon be lying,
'Neath the earth so cold and damp.

Listen brother soldiers, listen!
I have something I would say,
Ere my eyes are closed forever
To the lovely light of day;
I am going - surely going -
But my faith in God is strong,
I die happy - willing - knowing
That He doeth nothing wrong.

Tell my father when you greet him,
That in death I prayed for him -
And I hope that I shall meet him
In the world that's free from sin.
Dearest mother: God assist her -
now that she is growing old -
Say her boy would glad have kissed her
When his lips grew pale and cold.

Brother soldiers! catch each whisper -
'Tis my wife I speak of now,
Tell, oh! tell her how I missed her,
When the fever burned my brow,
Tell her she must kiss my babe-
Like the kiss I last impressed -
Hold her, as when last I held her,
Closely folded to my breast.

Tell my dear wife - may God bless her-
She was very dear to me;
Would I could once more caress her,
And her lovely face could see!
Tell my dear ones I remember
Every kindly parting word,
And my heart has been kept tender
By the thought their memories stirred.

Brother soldiers, let me see you
Press each hand before I die.
My good, kind friends, I'm loth to leave you,
Receive my fond, my last good bye.
Hark! I hear my Savior calling!
Tis His voice - I know it well.
When I'm gone, oh don't be weeping,
Soldiers, here's my last farewell.

Reprinted from the Mobile Tribune, in the Southern Banner, Mar. 26, 1862, page 1.
That poem deserves to be engraved upon a war memorial.
 
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