Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PARDON, by JULIA WARD HOWE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Pains the sharp sentence Last Line: Greatest, forgive! Subject(s): American Civil War; Assassination; Booth, John Wilkes (1838-1865); Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865); Presidents, United States; United States - History | ||||||||
( WILKES BOOTH -- APRIL 26, 1'65) PAINS the sharp sentence the heart in whose wrath it was uttered, Now thou art cold; Vengeance, the headlong, and Justice, with purpose close muttered, Loosen their hold. Death brings atonement; he did that whereof ye accuse him, -- Murder accurst; But from that crisis of crime in which Satan did lose him, Suffered the worst. Harshly the red dawn arose on a deed of his doing, Never to mend; But harsher days he wore out in the bitter pursuing And the wild end. So lift the pale flag of truce, wrap those mysteries round him, In whose avail Madness that moved, and the swift retribution that found him, Falter and fail. So the soft purples that quiet the heavens with mourning, Willing to fall, Lend him one fold, his illustrious victim adorning With wider pall. Back to the cross, where the Saviour uplifted in dying Bade all souls live, Turns the reft bosom of Nature, his mother, low sighing, Greatest, forgive! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A VISIT TO GETTYSBURG by LUCILLE CLIFTON AFTER SPOTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE by DAVID FERRY ACROSS THE LONG DARK BORDER by EDWARD HIRSCH WALT WHITMAN IN THE CIVIL WAR HOSPITALS by DAVID IGNATOW THE DAY OF THE DEAD SOLDIERS; MARY 30, 1869 by EMMA LAZARUS MANHATTAN, 1609 by EDWIN MARKHAM THE DECISION (APRIL 14, 1861) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE SPARROW HARK IN THE RAIN (ALEXANDER STEPHENS HEARS NEWS) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |
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