Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is one of my all-time favorite American poets. I’m particularly fond of his collection The Seaside & The Fireside (1850). One of Longfellow’s most famous poems is also a favorite of mine, and once upon a time, I had the whole thing memorized: Paul Revere’s Ride. “Wait, you promised a ‘Yankee poem’Continue reading ““The People Will Awake and Listen To Hear””
Author Archives: Sarah Kay Bierle
CW160 Diary: Fort Sumter
This is part of journaling that I’m sharing publicly on anniversary days commemorating 160 years since the American Civil War. It’s a record of random thoughts, commemorations, events, or relevant reading on the anniversary day. Dear Diary: I had all good intentions of getting up at 5:00am to read Mary Chesnut’s diary entries in realContinue reading “CW160 Diary: Fort Sumter”
“Sumter’s Steady Roar”
It’s probably not surprising that I’m always on the look-out for Civil War poetry. There’s a ton of it — often in newspapers or magazines of era and later in the various memory publications created by veterans and supporters from both sides. April 12, 2021 will mark the 160th Anniversary of the beginning of theContinue reading ““Sumter’s Steady Roar””
“Dances With The Daffodils”
April is National Poetry Month, so I thought it would be appropriate to share a few of my favorite poems and some reflections on the writing. When I lived in California, we got a few daffodils in the garden and I always liked these bright, cheery flowers that signal the promise of spring. Here inContinue reading ““Dances With The Daffodils””
Bookshelf Notes: Sad Earth, Sweet Heaven
Sad Earth, Sweet Heaven: The Diary of Lucy Rebecca Buck During the War Between the States offers a glimpse into the life and experiences of a young woman living in Front Royal, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley) as campaigns and battles swept through and around her home.
Bookshelf Notes: At Gettysburg
I first read this book when I was fourteen. Already interested in the “civilian side of the story,” this account resonated with me because it was the reminiscence of woman who had been a teenager during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Bookshelf Notes: Kate Cumming’s Civil War Journal
This was one of the first Civil War diaries that I read when I was starting to look at women and their roles in Civil War medicine. Kate’s journal is particularly valuable since it is a Confederate perspective, written in “real time” (not a memoir), and published around 1866. Kate Cumming was born in ScotlandContinue reading “Bookshelf Notes: Kate Cumming’s Civil War Journal”
Bookshelf Notes: Woman’s Work in the Civil War
It’s Women’s History Month! To highlight women’s roles during the Civil War, I’ll be highlighting four books over the next four weeks that are great additions to a library or to borrow and read. (The volume this week is actually available online and is just a click away!) Woman’s Work in the Civil War isContinue reading “Bookshelf Notes: Woman’s Work in the Civil War“
Old Cabin, New Opportunities
Last weekend I had the opportunity to hike the Montpelier Civil War Trail in the snow. (Details in this post on Emerging Civil War blog.) Aside from the history of the site and the brisk air, one of the lessons from the adventure stayed with me through this week. According to the details on theContinue reading “Old Cabin, New Opportunities”
Finding Inspiration…
I enjoy reading or watching the historical accounts and biographies highlighted during Black History Month and try to take it as an opportunity to listen and learn. I haven’t written as much on the subject this year as I’ve tried in the past because I’m trying not to write awkwardly, badly, or with accidental disrespectContinue reading “Finding Inspiration…”
Sarah Kay Bierle 