Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DECORATION DAY, by EFFIE WALLER SMITH


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DECORATION DAY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Scatter flowers o'er the graves
Last Line: Scatter them, scatter them o'er.
Subject(s): Graves; Heroism; Soldiers; Tombs; Tombstones; Heroes; Heroines


Scatter flowers o'er the graves
Where sleep our dear and honored braves;
Bring those emblems of love to-day,
Flowers, so pure, beauteous and gay:
Scatter them, scatter them o'er.

Strew them lovingly over all,
Caring not on which ones they fall;
On the grave of the hero-lover,
Husband, father, son and brother:
Strew them lovingly o'er.

And cover them careful over,
Cover the grass and running clover;
Cut down the briers and weeds that are there.
And cover their graves with blossoms fair:
Cover them carefully o'er.

Lay them gently o'er, bouquet and wreath,
Think of the heroes lying beneath;
Some who bravely fought and fell,
Nobly dying by bullet and shell:
Lay them gently o'er.

Tenderly o'er their ashes, dear,
Place blossoms, and moisten them with a tear;
Naught our love for those brave shall blight,
WWho died for freedom, peace and right: --
Place them tenderly o'er.

Shower them over, freely shower,
Beautiful, bright-colored flowers;
While the loved old "red, white and blue,"
Floats o'er our living veterans few:
Shower them freely o'er.

Heap them o'er, lavishly heap
Violets, pinks and pansies deep;
Roses redder than sunset's glow,
And lilies pure and white as snow:
Heap them lavishly o'er.

Yes, where our heroes dreamless sleep,
And 'bove them clover and myrtle creep;
Bring those emblems of love to-day,
Flowers so pure, pretty and gay;
Scatter them, scatter them o'er.





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