Only a soldier's grave! Pass by,

For soldiers, like other mortals, die.

Parents had he -- they are far away;

No sister weeps o'er the soldier's clay;

No brother comes, with tearful eye;

It's only a soldier's grave -- pass by.

True, he was loving, and young, and brave,

Though no glowing epitaph honors his grave;

No proud recital of virtues known,

Of griefs endured, or triumphs won;

No tablet of marble, or obelisk high; --

Only a soldier's grave: -- pass by.

Yet bravely he wielded his sword in fight,

And he gave his life in the cause of right!

When his hope was high, and his youthful dream

As warm as the sunlight on yonder stream;

His heart unvexed by sorrow or sigh; --

Yet, 'tis only a soldier's grave: - pass by.

Yet, we should mark it -- the soldier's grave,

Some one may seek him in hope to save!

Some of the dear ones, far away,

Would bear him home to his native clay:

'Twere sad, indeed, should they wander nigh,

Find not the hillock, and pass him by.

In this poem, the author is suggesting that someone should mark the graves of the men who fought bravely for our country during the Civil War. The poem starts out by the author stating, "It’s just a soldier’s grave, pass by." In this short passage, the author is stating that people just pass by soldier’s graves because they are not marked. This line is repeated throughout the poem.

"Parents had he, they are far away, no sister weeps o’er the soldiers clay." "Though no glowing epitaph honors his grave." These two statements mean that the soldier once had a family, but they are far away, and cannot find any information on where he is buried because his burial spot does not have a marking, or epitaph, on it.

"Yet bravely he wielded his sword in fight, and gave his life in the cause of right." This states that the soldier bravely fought for our country. Towards the end of this poem, it tells of the soldier’s death. "His heart unvexed by sorrow or sigh." Yet, it is only a soldier’s grave, people pass by.

The last stanza of this poem is suggesting that people should mark the soldier’s grave, because someone might want to find where he is buried, and bring him home to bury him. Instead of finding just a hillock and passing him by, they will mark his grave so people will find, "A proud recital of virtues known, of griefs endured, or triumphs won."

The author uses a number of literary works throughout this poem. Imagery is a major factor in understanding and appreciating this poem. For example, "When his hope was high, and his youthful dream, as warm as the sunlight on a yonder stream." The reader can imagine the soldier’s hopes and dreams as warm and bright as the sunlight shining down on a stream.

Alliteration is also used in this poem. "His heart unvexed by sorrow or sigh," or, "Someone may seek him in hope to save." In both of these short passages the consonant "s" continuously repeats.

The rhythm in the poem is very regular and continuous throughout the poem. The rhyme scheme in this poem is AA/BB/AA. For instance,Only a soldier's grave! Pass by

Lastly, both the mood and tone of this poem suggests both sadness and joy. At the beginning of the poem, the phrase, "Only a soldier’s grave, pass by," makes the reader feel sorrowful that no one recognizes the grave in which a soldier bravely gave his life for his country, therefore, the mood is sadness. Yet, towards the end of the poem, the author suggests, "But we should mark the soldier’s grave," this gives the reader a good feeling that people will now recognize the soldier who gave his life for his country, therefore, the mood is joy.

S.A. Jones did an excellent job on this poem. His use of many important literary devices made the reader feel deeply for the soldier who’s grave was not marked. Now, because of his great work on this poem, more and more people will realize that we should honor those men who fought bravely in the war and gave their lives for the good of mankind.

By: Alyssa Carmien

Poem information found at the following URL.