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Adieu To a Soldier by Walt Whitman

Analysis

"Adieu To a Soldier" is a poem written by Walt Whitman. This poem is as much about the author as it is about the soldier. Actually, probably even moreso about the author. The first stanza talks about a soldier. However, in the second line where the author states "which we shared", we can already tell it is about himself as well. He states that the soldier and him went through training, marching, slaughtering and everything else. The second stanza goes into how the author is more warlike than the other soldiers because he is still having his own war at home.

This poem is made up of two stanzas. The first stanza has seven lines while the second stanza has eight.

Poem

Adieu To a Soldier
By 

Adieu, O soldier!
You of the rude campaigning, (which we shared,)
The rapid march, the life of the camp,
The hot contention of opposing fronts'the long maneuver,
Red battles with their slaughter,'the stimulus'the strong, terrific game,
Spell of all brave and manly hearts'the trains of Time through you, and like of you, all fill’d,
With war, and war’s expression.

Adieu, dear comrade!
Your mission is fulfill’d'but I, more warlike,
Myself, and this contentious soul of mine,
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads, with ambushes, opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis'often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out'aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression.

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Nationality
American

Literary Movement
19th Century

Subjects
Army, War, Life