Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-05-30
Decoration Poem.


Deck them with garlands, these brothers Of
ours
Lying so silent by night and by day.
Sic eping the years Of their manhood away,
Years they had marked for the Joys of the
brave.
Years they must waste in the mouldering
All the bright laurels they waited to bloom
Fell from their hopes. when they fell to the
tomb.
Give them the honors the future forecast
Give them the chaplets they won in the strife.
Give them the laurels they lost with their life.
Cover them over. yes. cover them over.
Parent and husband and brother and loveri
Crown in your hearts these dead heroes OF
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the faces that motionless lie
Shut from the blue of the glorious sky;
Faces once Lit by the smiles OF the gay
Faces now marked by the frown of decay.
Eyes that beamed friendship and love to
Lips that sweet thoughts OF affection made
Brows you have smoothed in the day of dis
tress;
Cheeks you have flushed by the tender ca
Faces that brightened d at wars stirring cry !:
Faces that etreamed when they bade you
Faces that glowed in battles red flame.
Paling for naught till the Death Angel came.
Cover them over. yes, cover them over.
Parent and husband and brother and lover!
Kiss In your hearts these dead heroes OF
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the feet. that all weary and worn.
Hither by comrades were tenderly borne:
Feet that have trodden. through love lighted
ways,
Near to your own, In the old happy days.
Feet that have pressed. in Lifes opening
morn
Roses, of pleasure. and Deaths poisoned
Swiftly they rushed to the help Of the right,
Ne'er shall the enemy's hurrying tramp :,
Summon them forth from the death guarded
Ne'er till Eternity's bugle shall sound.
Will they come out from their couch in the
ground.
Cover them over yes cover them over
Parent and husband and brother and lover
Rough were the paths Of these heroes OF
Now cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the hearts that have beaten so high.
Beaten with hopes that were bosn but to
Hearts that have burned in the heat of the
Hearts that have yearned for the homes far
Hearts that have beat high in the charges
Hearts that have fell low in the prisons foul
damp.
Once they were swelling with courage and
Now they are lying all pulseless and still; :,
Once they were glancing with friendship and
Now their great souls have gone soaring
Brayely their blood to the nation they gave
Silent in her bosom they found there grave.
Cover them over. yes, cover them over,
Parent and husband and brother and lover
Press 10 your hearts these dead heroes oil
ours
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
One there is sleeping in yonder low tomb,
Worthy oI the brightest OF nowerets that
Weakness of woomanhood's life was her
part:
TenderIy strong was her generous heart.
Bravely she stood by the sufferers side,
Checking the pain and life bearing tide;
Fighting the swift sweeping phantom OF
Easing the dying mans nuttering breath.
Then when the strife that had nerved her
was DER
Voices have blessed her now silent and
Voices will bless her in long years to come.
Cover her over. yes. cover her over
Blessings. like angels. around her shall
hover
Cherish the name of that sister otours
And cover her over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the thousands that sleep far away
Sleep where their friends cannot find them
to-day:
Those who in mountain and hillside and
dell,
Rest where they wearied and lie where they
Softly the grass blades creep round their
sweetly above them the wild fow'ret blows /:
Zephyrs OF freedom fly gently o'crhead.
Whispering names for the patriot dead.
So in our minds We will name them once
So I'm our hearts we will cover them DER:
Roses and lilies ard yiolets blue
Bloom In our souls for the brave and the
true,
Cover them over, yes. cover them over.
Parent and husband and brother and lover !!
Think of those far away heroes OF ours.
And cover them over with beautiful flowers
When the long years have crept slowly
away.
Zen to the dawn OF Earth's funeral day;
When at the Archangels trumpet ana tread
Rise up the faces and forms of the dead;
When the great world its last Judgment
When the blue sky shall swing open its gates
And our long columns march silently
Past the Great Captain. for final review.
Then for the blood that has flown Tor the
right
A Crown shall be given untarnished and
Then the glad ear Of each war martyred son
Proudly shall hear the good Judgment well
DONE
Blessings for garlands shall covcr them
Parent and husband and brother and lover !
God will reward those heroes OF ours.
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.