At Fredericksburg-dec. 13, 1862 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCE FGFG HIHI JKJK LMLM NONP QRQR STSTUVUVWXWX WJWJJXJXUYUZA2B2A2B2 XC2XC2UXUX D2XD2 WBWBE2F2E2F2XG2XG2H2 XH2X I2J2I2J2D2XD2X

GOD send us peace and keep red strife awayA
But should it come God send us men and steelB
The land is dead that dare not face the dayA
When foreign danger threats the common wealB
-
Defenders strong are they that homes defendC
From ready arms the spoiler keeps afarD
Well blest the country that has sons to lendC
From trades of peace to learn the trade of warE
-
Thrice blest the nation that has every sonF
A soldier ready for the warning soundG
Who marches homeward when the fight is doneF
To swing the hammer and to till the groundG
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Call back that morning with its lurid lightH
When through our land the awful war bell tolledI
When lips were mute and women's faces whiteH
As the pale cloud that out from Sumter rolledI
-
Call back that morn an instant all were dumbJ
As if the shot had struck the Nation's lifeK
Then cleared the smoke and rolled the calling drumJ
And men streamed in to meet the coming strifeK
-
They closed the ledger and they stilled the loomL
The plow left rusting in the prairie farmM
They saw but ' Union' in the gathering gloomL
The tearless women helped the men to armM
-
Brigades from towns each village sent its bandN
German and Irish every race and faithO
There was no question then of native landN
But love the Flag and follow it to deathP
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No need to tell their tale through every ageQ
The splendid story shall be sung and saidR
But let me draw one picture from the pageQ
For words of song embalm the hero deadR
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The smooth hill is bare and the cannons are plantedS
Like Gorgon fates shading its terrible browT
The word has been passed that the stormers are wantedS
And Burnside's battalions are mustering nowT
The armies stand by to behold the dread meetingU
The work must be done by a desperate fewV
The black mouthed guns on the height give them greetingU
From gun mouth to plain every grass blade in viewV
Strong earthworks are there and the rifles behind themW
Are Georgia militia an Irish brigadeX
Their caps have green badges as if to remind themW
Of all the brave record their country has madeX
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The stormers go forward the Federals cheer themW
They breast the smooth hillside the black mouths are dumbJ
The riflemen lie in the works till they near themW
And cover the stormers as upward they comeJ
Was ever a death march so grand and so solemnJ
At last the dark summit with flame is enlinedX
The great guns belch doom on the sacrificed columnJ
That reels from the height leaving hundreds behindX
The armies are hushed there is no cause for cheeringU
The fall of brave men to brave men is a painY
Again come the stormers and as they are nearingU
The flame sheeted rifle lines reel back againZ
And so till full noon come the Federal massesA2
Flung back from the height as the cliff flings a waveB2
Brigade on brigade to the death struggle passesA2
No wavering rank till it steps on the graveB2
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Then comes a brief lull and the smoke pall is liftedX
The green of the hillside no longer is seenC2
The dead soldiers lie as the sea weed is driftedX
The earthworks still held by the badges of greenC2
Have they quailed is the word No again they are formingU
Again comes a column to death and defeatX
What is it in these who shall now do the stormingU
That makes every Georgian spring to his feetX
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' O God what a pity ' they cry in their coverD2
As rifles are readied and bayonets made tightX
''Tis Meagher and his fellows their caps have green cloverD2
'Tis Greek to Greek now for the rest of the fight '-
Twelve hundred the column their rent flag before themW
With Meagher at their head they have dashed at the hillB
Their foemen are proud of the country that bore themW
But Irish in love they are enemies stillB
Out rings the fierce word ' Let them have it ' the riflesE2
Are emptied point blank in the hearts of the foeF2
It is gueen against green but a principle stiflesE2
The Irishman's love in the Georgian's blowF2
The column has reeled but it is not defeatedX
In front of the guns they re form and attackG2
Six times they have done it and six times retreatedX
Twelve hundred they came and two hundred go backG2
Two hundred go back with the chivalrous storyH2
The wild day is closed in the night's solemn shroudX
A thousand lie dead but their death was a gloryH2
That calls not for tears the Green Badges are proudX
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Bright honor be theirs who for honor were fearlessI2
Who charged for their fl ig to the grim cannon's mouthJ2
And honor to them who were true though not tearlessI2
Who bravely that day kept the cause of the SouthJ2
The quarrel is done God avert such anotherD2
The lesson it brought we should evermore heedX
Who loveth the Flag is a man and a brotherD2
No matter what birth or what race or what creedX

John Boyle O'reilly



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