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Decoration Day, May 30
BY the flow of the inland river, | |
| Whence the fleets of iron had fled, | |
| Where the blades of the grave-grass quiver, | |
| Asleep are the ranks of the dead,— | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | 5 |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Under the one, the Blue; | |
| Under the other, the Gray. | |
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| These in the robings of glory, | |
| Those in the gloom of defeat; | 10 |
| All with the battle-blood gory, | |
| In the dusk of eternity meet,— | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Under the laurel, the Blue; | 15 |
| Under the willow, the Gray. | |
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| From the silence of sorrowful hours | |
| The desolate mourners go, | |
| Lovingly laden with flowers, | |
| Alike for the friend and the foe; | 20 |
| Under the sod and the dew; | |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Under the roses, the Blue; | |
| Under the lilies, the Gray. | |
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| So, with an equal splendor, | 25 |
| The morning sun-rays fall, | |
| With a touch impartially tender, | |
| On the blossoms blooming for all,— | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | |
| Waiting the judgment day; | 30 |
| Broidered with gold, the Blue; | |
| Mellowed with gold, the Gray. | |
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| So, when the summer calleth | |
| On forest, and field of grain, | |
| With an equal murmur falleth | 35 |
| The cooling drip of the rain; | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Wet with the rain, the Blue; | |
| Wet with the rain, the Gray. | 40 |
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| Sadly, but not with upbraiding. | |
| The generous deed was done; | |
| In the storm of the years now fading | |
| No braver battle was won; | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | 45 |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Under the blossoms, the Blue; | |
| Under the garlands, the Gray. | |
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| No more shall the war cry sever, | |
| Or the winding rivers be red; | 50 |
| They banish our anger forever | |
| When they laurel the graves of our dead. | |
| Under the sod and the dew; | |
| Waiting the judgment day; | |
| Love and tears for the Blue; | 55 |
| Tears and love for the Gray. | |
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