Army Quote by Walt Whitman
“I saw battle-corpses, myriads of them, And the white skeletons of young men-I saw them; I saw the debris and debris of all the dead soldiers of the war; But I saw they were not as was thought; They themselves were fully at rest-they suffer'd not; The living remain'd and suffer'd-the mother suffer'd, And the wife and the child, and the musing comrade suffer'd, And the armies that remain'd suffer'd.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Leaves of Grass, 1855
The poet recounts war’s devastation, noting that while soldiers are at peace in death, the living continue to suffer.
In simple terms: War leaves lasting sorrow for those left behind.
Recognize the hidden costs of conflict.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- family grief
- veteran support
- peace advocacy
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do survivors have?
- How can societies heal collective trauma?
May romanticize sacrifice.