Annotation of Poem

Title:
Shiloh- The Requiem

Shiloh is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as an assembly place for the people of Israel
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civi War, fought on April 6 and April 7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee.
Requiem: any musical service, hymn, or dirge for the repose of the dead.

The poem is basically trying to moan of the many deaths that happen in the battle of Shiloh through the writing of a musical song or poem. It is also trying to tell the reader that things are not what they are seemed at first sight.
Poem

Skimming lightly, wheeling still,

The swallows fly low

Over the field in clouded days,

The swallows in this poem seem to represent peace and harmony as they observed around however. At the third sentence there seems to be a hint by the poet that they were skimming over the field in “clouded” days. Clouded is often reminded as cloudy day or confused. If we look into the meaning of confused we might be able to interpret that the poet is trying to tell the reader that thing are not what they seem. That the swallows are confused whether “The forest-field of Shiloh” represented peace or did them referred to deaths.

The forest-field of Shiloh -

Over the field where April rain

Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain

Through the pause of night

That followed the Sunday fight

At the forest-field of Shiloh there is an abrupt end. It might have been the poet who wanted to show a change of the situation. Solaced means to comfort. Parched means dry. The rain would have comforted the dry bodies that were stretched all over the fields of Shiloh. Night cannot be stopped which could be possible that the even the rain had no time to moan about those who were suffering on the field of Shiloh for a Sunday fight was followed which means that before they could moan a fight began again.


Around the church of Shiloh -

The church so lone, the log-built one,

That echoed to many a parting groan

And natural prayer

Of dying foemen mingled there -

The church is often remembered as a peaceful area where prayers are made. However, yet there is an irony for the church laid so lone but how come there are groans around the church. This might have been to show the bloody situation of the battle of Shiloh through a depiction of the war; that the deaths and situation of the war were numerous to a point that the groans and moans of the men were heard around the church. A natural prayer could be interpret as there were be no need for prayer for one who is dead if they are right beside of the church. Thus, this part of the poem show the deaths and terrors of the American Civil War had filled up the peaceful church. Death has unified them rather than God. This imagery is haunting—a stark contrast to the sereneness the poem initially creates.


Foemen at morn,

but friends at eve Fame or country least their care: (What like a bullet can undeceive!)

This is a direct challenge to the people that believe that fighting war was for fame and glory of the country. However, the soldiers at war did not remember about the fame or country when in war. There was only their enemy, them and their friends. It was all about the survival in the war. The poet’s warning that glory doesn’t matter once injury occur halts

But now they lie low,

While over them the swallows skim,

And all is hushed at Shiloh.

This is an abrupt ending for suddenly, the scene at the Shiloh changed to a peaceful situation again. The queer tranquility of the fields returned. The poet’s structure and flow of the poem represent a veil over the meanings of the poem, showing that outward appearance and first impressions cannot be the only foundations for conclusion.