Lament by Virna Sheard (1911)
The work is a lyrical meditation on the juxtaposition of nature’s enduring beauty with the relentless tragedy of human conflict. It opens with a solitary walk through a garden resplendent with tulips, yet the narrator is emotionally numb, burdened by memories of battlefields and the omnipresence of death. The vivid imagery of the vibrant, renewing earth contrasts with an inner landscape marred by sorrow and a hardened heart. The narrator’s eyes, blurred with tears, fixate on the fallen, whose strangely radiant faces suggest a paradoxical sanctity bestowed upon those who have perished. The narrative reflects on the deep pain experienced not only in witnessing the remnants of war but also in remembering the loved ones lost amidst the chaos. There is an inherent recognition that even in a world bursting with life and new sweetness, the scars of past violence and sacrifice remain indelible. The poem mourns the irretrievable loss of individual lives while hinting at the potential for spiritual transcendence in death, suggesting that the fallen may hold an almost sacred beauty, a brightness that sets them apart from the ordinary march of life. The work thereby becomes a lament for the personal and collective grief of loss, capturing the eerie coexistence of natural beauty and human desolation, and inviting reflection on how memory and mourning shape one’s perception of both the living and the dead.
By Virna Sheard · First published 1911 · Genre: Poetry, War Literature, Elegy · 152 words
First lines
Here in my garden where the tulips grow I walk alone; Dim are my eyes with tears, my feet are slow, My heart is stone; Though all the lovely earth again for me New sweetness yields It matters not, -- only the dead I see On battlefields.
Only the dead I see, -- and strangely bright Their faces shine As though the God of Glory in the night Had made them fine. Place for the victors! Stoop my soul to touch Their tunics' hem, -- 'Tis those they loved who need tears overmuch O weep for them!
What this Textopian page supports
Lament is listed on Textopian as a poem by Virna Sheard, dated 1911 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Virna Sheard
- Date: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, War Literature, Elegy, Tragedy, Historical Literature
- Length: 152 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse with line breaks and lyrical language, characteristic of poetic expression.
- War Literature — The text references battlefields and the dead, highlighting themes of conflict and its aftermath.
- Elegy — The lamenting tone and focus on mourning the fallen align with the traditional form of an elegy.
- Tragedy — The pervasive sense of loss and grief contributes to a tragic atmosphere throughout the work.
Tags
grief · loss · mourning · family · relationships · identity · redemption · resilience · trauma · psychological · historical · social commentary