Writers on both sides of the American Civil War "brought to the crisis"
(in editor J. D. McClatchys' words) "poetry's unique ability to stir the
emotions, to freeze the moment, to sweep the scene with a panoramic lens
and suddenly swoop in for a close-up of suffering or courage." This
vibrant collection brings together the most memorable and enduring work
inspired by the conflict: the masterpieces of Whitman and Melville,
Sidney Lanier on the death of Stonewall Jackson, the anti-slavery poems
of Longfellow and Whittier, the front-line narratives of Henry Howard
Brownell and John W. De Forest, the anthems of Julia Ward Howe and James
Ryder Randall. Grief, indignation, pride, courage, patriotic fervor,
ultimately reconciliation and healing: the poetry of the Civil War
evokes unforgettably the emotions that roiled America in its darkest
hour.
About the American Poets Project
Elegantly designed in compact editions, printed on acid-free paper, and
textually authoritative, the American Poets Project makes available the
full range of the American poetic accomplishment, selected and
introduced by today's most discerning poets and critics.