A March In The Ranks, Hard-prest Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCBDEFGHIHJKLMNOP QRPSTCUVOBWOXOTYZPAA 2B| oute through a heavy wood with muffled steps in the darkness | A |
| Our army foil'd with loss severe and the sullen remnant retreating | B |
| Till after midnight glimmer upon us the lights of a dim lighted | C |
| building | B |
| We come to an open space in the woods and halt by the dim lighted | C |
| building | B |
| 'Tis a large old church at the crossing roads 'tis now an impromptu | D |
| hospital | E |
| Entering but for a minute I see a sight beyond all the pictures | F |
| and poems ever made | G |
| Shadows of deepest deepest black just lit by moving candles and | H |
| lamps | I |
| And by one great pitchy torch stationary with wild red flame and | H |
| clouds of smoke | J |
| By these crowds groups of forms vaguely I see on the floor some | K |
| in the pews laid down | L |
| At my feet more distinctly a soldier a mere lad in danger of | M |
| bleeding to death he is shot in the abdomen | N |
| I staunch the blood temporarily the youngster's face is white as a | O |
| lily | P |
| Then before I depart I sweep my eyes o'er the scene fain to absorb | Q |
| it all | R |
| Faces varieties postures beyond description most in obscurity | P |
| some of them dead | S |
| Surgeons operating attendants holding lights the smell of ether | T |
| the odor of blood | C |
| The crowd O the crowd of the bloody forms of soldiers the yard | U |
| outside also fill'd | V |
| Some on the bare ground some on planks or stretchers some in the | O |
| death spasm sweating | B |
| An occasional scream or cry the doctor's shouted orders or calls | W |
| The glisten of the little steel instruments catching the glint of the | O |
| torches | X |
| These I resume as I chant I see again the forms I smell the | O |
| odor | T |
| Then hear outside the orders given Fall in my men Fall in | Y |
| But first I bend to the dying lad his eyes open a half smile gives | Z |
| he me | P |
| Then the eyes close calmly close and I speed forth to the darkness | A |
| Resuming marching ever in darkness marching on in the ranks | A2 |
| The unknown road still marching | B |
Walt Whitman
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