Skip to content
Linespedia

R. S. S., At Deer Island On The Merrimac

By John Greenleaf Whittier

Topics: classic

Make, for he loved thee well, our Merrimac,     From wave and shore a low and long lament     For him, whose last look sought thee, as he went     The unknown way from which no step comes back.     And ye, O ancient pine-trees, at whose feet     He watched in life the sunset's reddening glow,     Let the soft south wind through your needles blow     A fitting requiem tenderly and sweet!     No fonder lover of all lovely things     Shall walk where once he walked, no smile more glad     Greet friends than his who friends in all men had,     Whose pleasant memory, to that Island clings,     Where a dear mourner in the home he left     Of love's sweet solace cannot be bereft

AI analysis available. Enable JavaScript to interact.

About this line

"Make, for he loved thee well, our Merrimac,..."

This evocative piece by John Greenleaf Whittier, titled "R. S. S., At Deer Island On The Merrimac", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

Attribution & Rights

Author:John Greenleaf Whittier

"Make, for he loved thee well, our Merrimac,..." by John Greenleaf Whittier

For usage rights, copyright concerns, or to report an issue with this content, please visit our Copyright & Report page.

Related lines

"Gallery of sacred pictures manifold,     A minster rich in holy effigies,     And bearing on entablature and frieze     The hieroglyphic oracle"

"Through the long hall the shuttered windows shed     A dubious light on every upturned head;     On locks like those of Absalom the fair,     O"

"At the unveiling of his statue.     Among their graven shapes to whom     Thy civic wreaths belong,     O city of his love, make room     F"

"Thrice welcome from the Land of Flowers     And golden-fruited orange bowers     To this sweet, green-turfed June of ours!     To her who, in o"

"Here morning in the ploughman's songs is met     Ere yet one footstep shows in all the sky,     And twilight in the east, a doubt as yet,     S"

"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

John Greenleaf Whittier

About John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892) was an American Quaker poet and abolitionist whose poems—including "Snow-Bound" and "Barbara Frietchie"—celebrate New England life and moral courage. He was one of the Fireside Poets and a leading voice against slavery.

Full Bibliography
Continue Reading

"Gallery of sacred pictures manifold,     A minster..."

Weekly Poetic Insight

Join our literary Sanctuary

Get the most inspiring lines, poetic analysis, and secret shayaris delivered to your inbox every Sunday.