It feels a Shame to be Alive โ
When Men so brave โ are dead โ
One envies the Distinguished Dust โ
Permitted โ such a Head โ
The Stone โ that tells defending Whom
This Spartan put away
What little of Him we โ possessed
In Pawn for Liberty โ
The Price is great โ Sublimely paid โ
Do we deserve โ a Thing โ
That lives โ like Dollars โ must be piled
Before we may obtain?
Are we that wait โ sufficient worth โ
That such Enormous Pearl
As life โ dissolved be โ for Us โ
In Battle’s โ horrid Bowl?
It may be โ a Renown to live โ
I think the Men who die โ
Those unsustained โ Saviors โ
Present Divinity —
— Emily Dickinson.
