Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EXECUTION OF PRIVATE HENRY ANDERSON, by GEORGE MOSES HORTON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EXECUTION OF PRIVATE HENRY ANDERSON, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: This verse is plain, that all may understand
Last Line: He dies! No more to live at all, at all!


Co. D., 9th Mich. Cav. Vols., at Lexington, North Carolina, May 13th, 1865

This verse is plain, that all may understand,
The scene is solemn and expressly grand;
The must'ring concourse form'd in grand array,
Betrayed the fate of the expiring day;
Gazing spectators seemed completely dumb,
Beneath the sound of bugle and the drum.

The fun'ral march attracted every eye,
To see the trembling malefactor die;
O, memorable even, not soon forgot,
'Tis written on a tablet ne'er to blot;
We never can the scene portray,
The ghastly aspect of the fatal day.

We've heard of martyrs at the cruel stake,
From which an adamantine heart would break;
We've heard of victims on the fun'ral pyre,
Containing sacrifice and set on fire,
When victims died beneath the ruthless flame,
The brutal torture of eternal shame.

This seems to bear the mark, tho' justly done,
A case that every sober man may shun;
'Twas for the deed of open homicide,
This guilty malefactor fell and died.
See well arrayed the attentive squadrons stand,
Thus to discharge their guns at one command;
'Till pointing at one mark the shaft of death,
He breaths at once his last decisive breath.

It is, indeed, a sad infernal crime
To one's own self, thus hurried out of time;
He introduces first the murderous strife,
By his own hand he spurns away his life!
How many creatures thus have fell,
Imbibing nectar from the bowls of hell!

Inspiring depredations all the night,
And thus betrayed the death at morning light;
Thus flies the deadly shaft without control --
He fell upon his coffin, O, my soul!
Let all that live the scene appall --
He dies! no more to live at all, at all!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net