Page:Literary pilgrimages of a naturalist (IA literarypilgrima00packrich).pdf/243

 XIII

NATURE'S MEMORIAL DAY

How Earth and Sky Observe this National Holiday

Up to the brow of Cemetery Hill The serried battle ranks still press to-day. The saxifrages in Confederate gray Charge to the robin's bugle, piping shrill. In Union blue the sturdy violets still Shoulder to shoulder in the battle sway And, rank on rank, the rising onslaught stay, While cheers of song-birds through the woodland thrill.

And yet peace reigns, and both the gray and blue Mingled in garlands on the field will lie Marking a soldier's grave, or blue or gray, Shoulder to shoulder waiting, who shall say? We only know they wait beneath the sky While garlands deck them, wet with tears of dew.

In my town the little "God's Acre" in which the pioneers snuggled to sleep under the protecting shadow of their first rough church has grown over hill and dale to a score of acres. The church long since moved out of its own yard, as if to give the pioneers room, yet lingers gently