When he said War is all hell,
That was his heart’s truth
Maddened by the carnage
And the gadfly press
He sank into morbid thoughts
and shrank from command
Until a rough-hewn tanner’s son
Awkward, unworldly, prone to
Dissolving his discomfit in drink
Yet confident, careful
Unafraid, bold and decisive
Reached out his hand
Offering the other security
And the will to win
Once scorned by the world
They raised each other up
And the nation to blood-soaked
Victory because
Each knew that the other
Made him more than
what he was before
they met.
Last 4 lines taken from Grant and Sherman: The Friendship that Won the Civil War, by Charles Bracelen Flood
What a cool historical perspective! I could see using this as a mentor poem for students in the classroom as a way to recap their learning. This humanizes history, esp these two lines, “Reached out his hand / Offering the other security.” Nicely done.