In Memoriam: for the Unknown Soldiers at Red Bank Battlefield
August,
is a broad river expanse
where time ripples and bends
under a laden, leaded sky
the morning moon, her song a sigh
floats on heron’s wings to flutter
by the gulls and geese,
who wonder what and why.
Now coal-black crows with peacock flair
and gangster elan strut across the grass,
summer is almost past they call–
but not quite yet whispers the butterfly,
the rabbits hop and turkeys trot
and deer with smooth grace retrace
past seasons. The river flows on,
an unanswered question, a memory, a lullaby
for unsettled spirits amidst brittle relics
where they once cried and died,
under an autumn sky,
they drift above ground settling bone-full and dry.
I took a poem I had written last August and started revising it. It then demanded that I turn it into a poem to honor the remains of the Hessian soldiers found this summer at Red Bank Battlefield where I walk almost every day. The official announcement was made this past Tuesday.
I like that in the various reports I’ve read that historian Jennifer Janofsky and archeologist Wade Catts have emphasized not only that this is an exciting and unexpected discovery, but that it also emphasizes the brutality of war. They hope to be able to identify some of the soldiers from their remains, and they will be reburied. So, I have more River Ghosts.
Here’s the link to the website about the project.
I’m sharing this with dVerse Open Link Night.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
I LOVE this poem! The rhyme scheme is so striking in its effectiveness. The poem as a whole aside, this is my favorite stanza:
Now coal-black crows with peacock flair
and gangster elan strut across the grass,
summer is almost past they call–
but not quite yet whispers the butterfly,
Brilliant!
Thank you very much, Liz.
I’m so pleased by your reaction. It makes my day! 💙
You’re most welcome, Merril. Getting to give my immediate reaction to a poem to the poet is one of the best things about social media.
😊
Very well done! Although I don’t recall the words, I do remember this topic. Good supportive pics. Cheers to you. Clink
Thank you, Frank.
Well, I’ve written about ghosts and rivers–a lot. 😏
This discovery, however, was just announced a few days ago. Cheers back to you.
theres much good in here. i especially like the coal-black crows with gangster elan
Thank you very much!
Just when you think the story is set another layer appears.
That is so true. They had no idea there were bodies there.
And I think about how all that time, the soldiers knew they were there (so to speak), they were real, what happened did happen, and yet it was as if it had not…but, the soldiers knew it did. Now we know. And what infinite other situations are there like this? That question has occurred to me a lot over my life, when something hidden comes to light, I think…What else is there? And where?
Yes, I agree. Children were probably running over them, and deer, and who knows? And all the things that never do come to light. There was a movie that came out a few years ago called A Ghost Story in which a ghost is rooted to the spot where he lived and died and he sees how it changes over time. He’s a part of it and not.
Hmmm, I will have to look up this movie. It sounds interesting. It seems to me it would be torture to have to endure the changes to your world and not be able to escape it or participate in it.
It does end up being sad. It’s 2017 A Ghost Story with Casey Affleck. It looks ridiculous, but it’s poignant. I think about it a lot. There are lots of scenes with no talking. . . .
Now I’m really interested. Thank you.
You’re welcome!
Love the flow, rhythm and rhyme in this. Feeling the unsettled spirits rise. Thanks for sharing the link! 💓
Thank you so much, Tricia.
And you’re welcome about the link. I was pleased to find it, too. It was in one of the articles I looked at. So strange that this park where I walk almost every day has made the news all over!
I’m sure it’s surreal! ❤️
💙
A haunting elegy. I can feel the ghosts mingling with the living inhabitants where their bones lie. The remains of war are, sadly, all around us. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. They are indeed. I’m glad you felt that.
A very lyrical, beautiful, descriptive piece of poetry.
Thank you very much.
Such a wonderfully haunting tribute to those whose lives were cut short linked with the descriptions of the last days of summer.
Thank you very much, Derrick.
In one of the articles I read, the historian said one of the soldiers was somewhere between 17-19, around the age of many of her students, and how that struck her.
Beautifully written Merrill and such a haunting and poignant tribute xxx
Thank you so much! 💙
Who wonder what and why – so much to to ruminate on in this poem, this line in particular strikes a chord for me.
Thank you very much, Paul. I’m pleased you found something to think about in my poem.
🙂 Most welcome Merril
Oh my, you had me at the first verse, but then the second…and so on! This poem has a delicate, rhythmic breath and the tie into August and the tragic discovery …it all just works beautifully.
Thank you so much, Mish! 💙
And thank you for hosting!
Yes, more river ghosts….
The brutality of war revealed.
Yet, war is no ghost, it thrives
Takes lives revered.
Fantastic poem and a wonderful tribute, Merril.
You/they talk about digging up history, which we never seem to learn from, only about.
Thank you very much, Resa!
Some people refuse to see or learn even when you shove the information in front of them.
I was quite touched with how Janofsky and Catts spoke of what had been discovered.
Yes, I agree. Janofsky and Catts comments were touching. Brings much to mind.
🙂
This is so beautiful. I feel my voice must echo the others with the favourite stanza:
“Now coal-black crows with peacock flair
and gangster elan strut across the grass,
summer is almost past they call–
but not quite yet whispers the butterfly”
Wonderful.
Thank you so much, Dale! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. 💙
Very much so! 🧡
😊
I love all the elements of your setting, especially the “coal-black crows with peacock flair / and gangster elan.”
And the history. Just wonderful! Thank you for the link.
Thank you so much, Ken!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it.
There have been lots of news articles about it, too.
Beautiful and evocative, Merril. As if you can feel ghosts being laid to rest. I particularly love the lines:
“under a laden, leaded sky
the morning moon, her song a sigh”
“The river flows on,
an unanswered question, a memory, a lullaby”
❤
Thank you so much, Sunra! 💙
You’re most welcome 🙂
Fantastic write!
Thank you!
So sad, but interesting! Were they from the Civil War?
I love ‘coal-black crows with peacock flair
and gangster elan’ 👌❤️
Thank you so much, Ingrid! 💙
No, this was a battle from the Revolutionary War fought in October 1777 during our war of independence from Great Britain. This was when the British occupied Philadelphia, just across the river. The soldiers are believed to be German soldiers, commonly known as Hessian soldiers, who were employed to fight for England. The house that you see sometimes in my photos had belonged to a Quaker family, and it served as a field hospital after the battle.
Thank you – How fascinating, that soldiers from the past should return to speak in this way!
It is! Thank you very much.
This is a haunting and lyrical tribute, Merril. Thank you for sharing the link. 💙
Thank you, Punam, and you are very welcome! 💙
Very lovely, Merril!
Thank you, Marie!