--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks…" description: "\"“HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks returning, all worn and sweaty—as the men file by where I stand; As the faces, the masks appear—as I glance at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/walt-whitman-265_dear-friend_how-solemn-as-one-by-one-as-the-ranks-re_2337352.jpg" --- # HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks returning, all… ![“HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks returning, all worn and sweaty—as the men file by where I stand; As the faces, the masks appear—as I glance at the faces, studying the masks; (As I glance upward out of this page, studying you, dear friend, whoever you are;) How solemn the thought of my…” quote by Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/walt-whitman-265_dear-friend_how-solemn-as-one-by-one-as-the-ranks-re_2337352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/walt-whitman-265_dear-friend_how-solemn-as-one-by-one-as-the-ranks-re_2337352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/walt-whitman-265_dear-friend_how-solemn-as-one-by-one-as-the-ranks-re_2337352.jpg) > ““HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks returning, all worn and sweaty—as the men file by where I stand; As the faces, the masks appear—as I glance at the faces, studying the masks; (As I glance upward out of this page, studying you, dear friend, whoever you are;) How solemn the thought of my whispering soul, to each in the ranks, and to you; I see behind each mask, that wonder, a kindred soul; O the bullet could never kill what you really are, dear friend, Nor the bayonet stab what you really are: ... The soul! yourself I see, great as any, good as the best, Waiting, secure and content, which the bullet could never kill, Nor the bayonet stab, O friend!”” [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in war's harshness, the human spirit endures; masks hide true selves, but inner worth cannot be destroyed by violence. **In simple terms:** Inner worth survives external violence. Key Takeaway Remember that true character is invulnerable. Themes war humanity spirituality Mood somber hopeful Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - battlefields - military service - personal trauma - friendship Key Concepts existentialism resilience Questions to Reflect On - What masks do people wear in conflict? - How can we honor the unseen soul? A Different Perspective Physical harm cannot erase inner identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dear friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-friend/) [Friend Bayonet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-bayonet-5644301/) [Friend Solemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-solemn-5644299/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Solemn Ranks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solemn-ranks-5644300/) [Solemn Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solemn-thought-3719149/) [Thought Whispering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-whispering-5644302/) ## Related quotes > [It is a solemn thought: dead, the noblest man's meat is inferior to pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-a-solemn-thought-dead-the-noblest-man-s-meat-is-inferior-to-pork/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [One sweetly solemn thought, comes to me o'er and o'er; I am nearer home today, than I ever have been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-cary/one-sweetly-solemn-thought-comes-to-me-o-er-and-o-er-i-am-nearer-home/) [Phoebe Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-cary/) > [“I'd always thought of Jeeves as a kind of natural phenomenon; but, by Jove! of course, when you come to think of it, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pg-wodehouse/i-d-always-thought-of-jeeves-as-a-kind-of-natural-phenomenon-but-by/) [PG Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pg-wodehouse/) > [...of two simple men I saw today on the pier in the midst of the crowd, parting the parting of dear friends, the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/of-two-simple-men-i-saw-today-on-the-pier-in-the-midst-of-the-crowd/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“When I heard at the close of the day how my name had been receiv’d with plaudits in the capitol, still it was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/when-i-heard-at-the-close-of-the-day-how-my-name-had-been-receiv-d/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“I don’t want to get old. I have this very silly fear, dear friend, that one day I’ll be old, without ever having really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-sparks/i-don-t-want-to-get-old-i-have-this-very-silly-fear-dear-friend-that/) [Beatrice Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-sparks/) > [I am a pathetic and gushing Nick Hornby fan, and I wanted to be in High Fidelity, and I wanted to be in About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-williams/i-am-a-pathetic-and-gushing-nick-hornby-fan-and-i-wanted-to-be-in/) [Olivia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-williams/) > [It takes two people to ruin a perfectly good day. First a person who says something downright nasty about you, and second, a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-two-people-to-ruin-a-perfectly-good-day-first-a-person-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Because it is useless, and I tell them so at once. If you had confessed your fears to me sooner, I would have reassured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/because-it-is-useless-and-i-tell-them-so-at-once-if-you-had-confessed/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [Duff McKagen's been a dear friend of mind for a long time, and he's a Seattlelite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccready/duff-mckagen-s-been-a-dear-friend-of-mind-for-a-long-time-and-he-s-a/) [Mike McCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccready/) > [I wanted to tell the story of Luong Ung, who's a dear friend of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-wanted-to-tell-the-story-of-luong-ung-who-s-a-dear-friend-of-mine/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/we-were-putting-into-these-gomers-our-fear-of-death-but-who-knew-if/) [Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The little things really do matter. We remember the quirky things about each other and it makes us smile, think back into the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-lawshe/the-little-things-really-do-matter-we-remember-the-quirky-things/) [Cathy Lawshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-lawshe/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More by Walt Whitman > [O lands! O all so dear to me - what you are, I become part of that, whatever it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/o-lands-o-all-so-dear-to-me-what-you-are-i-become-part-of-that/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“Each of us inevitable, Each of us limitless—each of us with his or her right upon the earth, Each of us allow'd the eternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/each-of-us-inevitable-each-of-us-limitless-each-of-us-with-his-or-her/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I have sometimes thought that the laws ought not to punish those actions of evil which are committed when the senses are steeped in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-have-sometimes-thought-that-the-laws-ought-not-to-punish-those/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/oh-while-i-live-to-be-the-ruler-of-life-not-a-slave-to-meet-life-as-a/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“it makes such difference where you read”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/it-makes-such-difference-where-you-read/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Wisdom is not finally tested in the schools, Wisdom cannot be pass'd from one having it to another not having it, Wisdom is of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/wisdom-is-not-finally-tested-in-the-schools-wisdom-cannot-be-pass-d/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Strange, (is it not?) that battles, martyrs, blood, even assassination should so condense - perhaps only really lastingly condense - a Nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/strange-is-it-not-that-battles-martyrs-blood-even-assassination/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I think I could always live with animals. The more you're around people, the more you love animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-think-i-could-always-live-with-animals-the-more-you-re-around/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul, The pleasures of heaven are with me and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-am-the-poet-of-the-body-and-i-am-the-poet-of-the-soul-the-pleasures/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/re-examine-all-you-have-been-told-dismiss-what-insults-your-soul/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun, and animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/this-is-what-you-shall-do-love-the-earth-and-sun-and-animals-despise/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Each of us inevitable; Each of us limitless-each of us with his or her right upon the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/each-of-us-inevitable-each-of-us-limitless-each-of-us-with-his-or-her-2/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Silence? What can New York-noisy, roaring, rumbling, tumbling, bustling, story, turbulent New York-have to do with silence? Amid the universal clatter, the incessant din…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/silence-what-can-new-york-noisy-roaring-rumbling-tumbling-bustling/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) [Explore all 775 Walt Whitman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) ## More Dear friend quotes > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“The little things really do matter. We remember the quirky things about each other and it makes us smile, think back into the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-lawshe/the-little-things-really-do-matter-we-remember-the-quirky-things/) [Cathy Lawshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-lawshe/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/we-were-putting-into-these-gomers-our-fear-of-death-but-who-knew-if/) [Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/) > [I wanted to tell the story of Luong Ung, who's a dear friend of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-wanted-to-tell-the-story-of-luong-ung-who-s-a-dear-friend-of-mine/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Duff McKagen's been a dear friend of mind for a long time, and he's a Seattlelite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccready/duff-mckagen-s-been-a-dear-friend-of-mind-for-a-long-time-and-he-s-a/) [Mike McCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccready/) > [“Because it is useless, and I tell them so at once. If you had confessed your fears to me sooner, I would have reassured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/because-it-is-useless-and-i-tell-them-so-at-once-if-you-had-confessed/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [It takes two people to ruin a perfectly good day. First a person who says something downright nasty about you, and second, a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-two-people-to-ruin-a-perfectly-good-day-first-a-person-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am a pathetic and gushing Nick Hornby fan, and I wanted to be in High Fidelity, and I wanted to be in About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-williams/i-am-a-pathetic-and-gushing-nick-hornby-fan-and-i-wanted-to-be-in/) [Olivia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-williams/) > [“I don’t want to get old. I have this very silly fear, dear friend, that one day I’ll be old, without ever having really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-sparks/i-don-t-want-to-get-old-i-have-this-very-silly-fear-dear-friend-that/) [Beatrice Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-sparks/) > [I am involved with so many charitable organizations. Lung Cancer because of my dad, Breast Cancer because as a woman and mother of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-robbins/i-am-involved-with-so-many-charitable-organizations-lung-cancer/) [Lois Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-robbins/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Dear friend now in the dusty clockless hours of the town when the streets lie black and steaming in the wake of the watertrucks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/dear-friend-now-in-the-dusty-clockless-hours-of-the-town-when-the/) [cormac mccarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Receive, dear friend, the truths I teach, So shalt thou live beyond the reach Of adverse Fortune's pow'r; Not always tempt the distant deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/receive-dear-friend-the-truths-i-teach-so-shalt-thou-live-beyond-the/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“I understood her, trusted her, and loved her as a dear friend. None of that had changed, or could be changed by anything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-understood-her-trusted-her-and-loved-her-as-a-dear-friend-none-of/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) [Browse all 471 Dear friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“HOW solemn, as one by one, As the ranks returning, all worn and sweaty—as the men file by where I stand; As the faces, the masks appear—as I glance at the faces, studying the masks; (As I glance upward out of this page, studying you, dear friend, whoever you are;) How solemn the thought of my whispering soul, to each in the ranks, and to you; I see behind each mask, that wonder, a kindred soul; O the bullet could never kill what you really are, dear friend, Nor the bayonet stab what you really are: ... 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