The Death of Lincoln

William Cullen Bryant 1794 (Cummington) – 1878 (New York City)



Oh, slow to smit and swift to spare,
Gentle and merciful and just!
Who, in the fear of God, didst bear
The sword of power, a nation's trust!

In sorrow by thy bier we stand,
Amid the awe that hushes all,
And speak the anguish of a land
That shook with horror at thy fall.

Thy task is done; the bond of free;
We bear thee to an honored grave,
Whose proudest monument shall be
The broken fetters of the slave.

Pure was thy life; its bloddy close
Hath placed thee with the sons of light,
Among the noble host of those
Who perished in the cause of Right.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 24, 2023

33 sec read
202

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF XGXG
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 557
Words 111
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4

William Cullen Bryant

William Cullen Bryant was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post. more…

All William Cullen Bryant poems | William Cullen Bryant Books

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