Please Don't Tell Aunt Martha

A Civil War poem

I did my best, oh mother dear, the cruel war to survive

knowin’ that you’d need your son, since papa up’t and died

I thought we’d run them Yankees back, right north into Missouri

it’d only take a week or two; no need was there for worry

Two thousand strong, we left Fort Smith, marching toward Cane Hill

and that is where we found Blunt’s men and blood began to spill

It wasn’t like I thought it’d be, I’m very sad to say

cause somethin' happens to your soul when murder has its way

Killin’ ain’t a natural thing that good folks ought to do

and that is why my finger froze when I seen cousin Hugh

I know he never saw my face, but just a suit of grey

so please don't tell Aunt Martha who put me in my grave

Author's Note

Inspired by the Battle of Cain Hill, fought on November 28, 1862 near Fayetteville, Arkansas. I can't confirm that he was present at the battle, but my great-grandfather, Richard Dickens, was assigned to one of the units.

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Civil War-an oxymoron...Family against family, tainting the earth with spillage of innocent blood...your dramatic and well-written poem so poignantly drives this home in the gentle, innocent words of a young boy and his tragic death by the hand of a cousin. Your great-grandfather (amazing picture) must have seen so much devastation. Excellent use of historical facts, colloquial language of the period, beautiful form, flow, cadence, imagery and rhyme. Took my breath away Sam. Kudos for this important and touching memorial.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thank you, Annette. I wish we could learn from our mistakes.

[Frank]

Very clever Samuel, good ending, poignant. I am reminded of the Falklands war when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British colony. We rooted them out, but we sued Welsh soldiers in that war and there were hundreds of thousands of Argentinians and they have a Welsh colony. And I used to think did any Welsh soldiers kill any Welsh?argentinians, I always wondered about that because we love our colonists in Argentina.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks, Frank. Instead of war, I wish we'd have arm wrestling or maybe "best beer" contests.

[Frank]

Well yes, beer is so important. :)

[Vishuddha]

If it makes anyone feel any better I had a great, great, great (I'm not sure how great) aunt who lived in the Carolinas during the War Between the States and who fell in love with a Yankee soldier. They married and I think they had children. Of course, my family did disown her, but, in the long run it was still a gesture of balance. Regarding the poem, great! Very convincing. The revelation that the letter came from the great beyond was beautiful. And, a powerful ending.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thank you. There was a small skirmish here where the two sides faced one another in a big, open field, and before the fighting began, several men switched sides.

[Vishuddha]

One hell of a war. Of course, war is hell but, even so. At least, most of the time you know who the enemy is.

[J. K. Beach]

Ah ha! I ferreted me out a poem!very nicely done, Sam! You do historical fiction with such a deft hand. That brother fought against brother, cousin against cousin, was a harsh reality of the unCivil War. Especially since the battle techniques had grown so impersonal and destructive. I enjoyed this one! Let's see... what else can I dig up?

[Samuel Dickens]

Once again, I'm honored.

[Baby Ricochet]

This is a brilliant poem touching on the burden of being on the trigger, and hesitating, and what happens when you do. I love the plain language of the poem. It really does sound like it's coming from a kid in the confederate Army. Imagine how long it took to load a ball Musket, aim it and fire compared to tracer rounds coming at you by a Russian made PK machine gun. The human brain can't react that fast. That's why your first reaction to an ambush is usually confusion because your nervous system can't take it in as fast as the rounds are coming at you. When you do get the message though, it's pretty f' ed up. Great poem Sam.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks, and I know you're way more familiar with that than I am. I don't know if you read any of the notes, but my great grandfather, Richard Dickens, was assigned to co "I" 31st Arkansas infantry, one of the units present at that battle.

[R J Askew]

Most enjoyable. Your poem evokes the emotions of a history which until recently perhaps didn't seem all that long ago. It also captures how it was really a giant family row with horrible outcomes. And the naivety of young guys going to war was there. It's an adventure. We are curious about it. And we feel invincible when we are kids. But maybe the US Civil was marked a change as I've read that the slaughter was on an industrial scale for the first time, that it has been described as the first modern war. Even with all the wars of the 20th century to suggest war is the very worst of things, it doesn not seem to be going out of fashion. Alas.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks. I'm most appreciative. I wished we paid more attention to history and learned our lessons better.

[R J Askew]

I learnt a bit about the US civil war in a strange way when I was a kid in Britain, from free cards in packets of bubble gum. I used to love the things. They were naturally luridly illustrated, but they gave a little history on the back to go with the illustration.

[R J Askew]

I've found a site which shows the very cards! http://www.oldbubblegumcards.com/1960s/Civil-War-News/index.html

[Samuel Dickens]

That's very interesting. Unfortunately, I cared little about history until a grown man.

[R J Askew]

Well, with your naval service you have played your part in chapter of it, which is more than I have done, perhaps luckily.

[Glen Yumang Manese]

This just gives the irony of the Civil War... no other conflict have we lost more... this letter just grips the situation... Well versed in the line... ending tells all...

[Samuel Dickens]

Thank you, Glen. I appreciate it.

[Rita L. Sev]

Well told piece of sad history - every war has a deeper story to tell, and you tell this bit of it perfectly. I am especially moved by the line: "Killin’ ain’t a natural thing that good folks ought to do..." I read it several times, and each time, I nod my head in agreement.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks, Rita. In war, no one really wins.

[Angi]

My 13 year old daughter has been studying the civil war. She and I were just discussing how horrible it must have been. Friend against friend, brother against brother. I will be sharing this piece with her when she gets home from school, Sam.

[Samuel Dickens]

I appreciate that. Indeed, the Civil War was perhaps our nation's darkest period. Many Arkansas residents, including some of my ancestors, had come here from northern states, so we we were far from unified. In one skirmish near Fort Smith, it's said that the two forces stood looking at one another across a field when many suddenly switched sides. My Dickens kin were all southerners, having come from NC, but mom's side had some from Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.

[Angi]

I wish I could sit down with you over a pot or two of coffee. You have some stories to tell!

[Samuel Dickens]

That would be nice.

[Angi]

My daughter and I just read this together, Sam. She said it was a really good story even though it is so sad. She also said she wouldn't be able ro shoot her cousins. She would switch sides, too!

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks for doing that with your daughter, and I'm happy she liked it. Happy, also, that she couldn't shoot her cousin. It was a terrible situation our poor ancestors were in.

[Angi]

I agree, Sam. Aimee and I had a good conversation about this tonight. No tv, no distractions. Just she and I...talking. Thank you.

[Eileenws]

The Civil War polarized families. I like how you create the child's voice in talking to his mother. It is meant to be read out loud. Nice job.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks for reading, I'm glad you liked it.

[roarke]

an interesting way of expressing genealogy. Still envious of your meter skills. I was just thinking about the civil war the other day, in light of the hype on gun banning etc. I don't think today, even with all the excellent documentaries, that people today realize how destructive and horrific a civil war is/was. If one erupts today, it will make the first civil war pale by comparison.
Good write Sam.

[Samuel Dickens]

Thanks. You're so right, too. The idea that a bunch of ar-15 wielding yahoos could defeat the US Gov is absurd. Plus, and it's a big plus--they have no idea what horrors would await.

[roarke]

exactly.