First published 1994
Richard Marius gathers poetry from America's most divisive conflict, drawing from established works alongside forgotten pieces by African American and female voices. The collection spans both Union and Confederate perspectives, capturing patriotic fervor and battlefield songs that sustained soldiers through years of bloodshed. Marius frames each selection with historical context, revealing how poets processed the war's contradictions. The anthology moves between rage and longing, documenting how writers from all backgrounds struggled to make sense of a nation tearing itself apart. These verses expose the full emotional spectrum of civil war, from militant nationalism to desperate prayers for reconciliation.
Genres: american-civil-war, anthologies, 20th-century, american, poetry, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intimate
Setting: America, Confederate, Union
Period: Civil War
543 pages · Hardcover · Columbia University Press