Read "Aurora-Borealis. Commemorative of the Dissolution of Armies at the Peace. (May, 1865.)" by Herman Melville online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
What power disbands the Northern Lights / After their steely play? / The lonely watcher feels an awe / Of Nature's sway, / As when appearing, / He marked their flashed uprearing / In the cold gloom -- / Retreatings and advancings, / (Like dallyings of doom), / Transitions and enhancings, / And bloody ray.
The phantom-host has faded quite, / Splendor and Terror gone -- / Portent or promise -- and gives way / To pale, meek Dawn; / The coming, going, / Alike in wonder showing -- / Alike the God, / Decreeing and commanding / The million blades that glowed, / The muster and disbanding -- / Midnight and Morn.