Loved Ones Come and Gone

When my family lived in Las Vegas, we had the opportunity to attend a number of Civil War re-enactments in California. My son, who was a precocious little boy with a head full of curls would often leave us to go with his 'father' the President, whenever Abraham Lincoln was in attendance at the event.

Try explaining his assassination to a heartbroken little boy (yikes).

When it was time for him to study the Civil War in school, he often schooled the teachers with his knowledge of not only the history but the way of life for people in the era. And later as a Boy Scout, he found so many connections to this history in ways we exhibit patriotism.

At a military ceremony he saw a single table set aside on the corner of the dance floor. The table had everything that the other tables had on it, and asked if it was like the song "the Vacant Chair" - the chaplain at the event had never heard of the song, so the two sat down and traded their stories...

The song was originally a poem written by H. S. Washburn about a young soldier who died serving the infantry of MA. Later, when the poem caught the attention of famous songwriter, George Root who set the poem to music.

Such a poignant way to remember a life cut short in battle...

as writers and readers, we search for this kind of meaning in words. Prose and Poetry that touches us... reaches out to us... draws us in... lives in our memories through cadence and melody.

How does this poem/song speak to you?

The lyrics -

Oh, we shall meet, but we shall miss him
there will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
While we breath our evening prayer

When a year ago we gathered,
joy was in his mind blue eye,
But a golden cord is severed
and our hopes in ruin lies

Oh, we shall meet, but we shall miss him
there will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
While we breath our evening prayer

At our fireside, sad and lonely,
often will the bosom swell,
at remembrance of the story,
How our noble Willie fell.

How he strove to bear our banner,
Thro' the thickest of the fight,
and uphold our country's honor
in the strength of manhood's might

Oh, we shall meet, but we shall miss him
there will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
While we breath our evening prayer

True they tell us wreaths of glory,
Evermore will deck his brow,
But this soothes the anguish only
Sweeping o'er our heartstrings now.

Sleep today o' early fallen,
In they green and narrow bed.
Dirges from the pine and cypress
mingle with the tears we shed

Oh, we shall meet, but we shall miss him
there will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
While we breath our evening prayer

(The above video is of the 2nd South Carolina String Band - 

I have had the joy of hearing thing band play at a Civil War Re-enactment 

years ago and I have (I believe) all of their CDs)

Curious about Reina? She's curious about you too!
Visit her on Facebook 
or her website Reina Torres - Romance