40: The Red Badge of Courage, 1895, by Stephen
Crane (1871–1900)
Okay, at first I read the comic book*
Before I read that full-length text.
But just remember: Every cook
Reads recipes—and food comes next.
I loved the story, from the first—
A kid, I often played at war.
What’s not to love? I thought. The burst
Of cannon! Storming of a distant shore!
But I grew older, read the work
Of Crane—yes, every book he wrote.
And in his paragraphs would lurk
A very understated vote
Against all war—and what it means.
Oh, readers have a task to do—
Consider all the in-betweens—
And see the author’s total view.
I’ve traveled to the homes of Crane**—
The graveyard where he now must lie.***
I think of what he helped explain—
And grieve, again, such artists die.
*Classics Illustrated
**Port Jervis, NY; Asbury Park, NJ; June 8, 2004
***Evergreen Cemetery; Hillside, NJ; June 9, 2004
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