- description
- # The Eagle of the Blue.[12]
## Overview
This is a segment representing the poem "The Eagle of the Blue.[12]" extracted from the text file [battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt](arke:01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8). It is located between lines 2511 and 2545 of the source file. The segment is part of the [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) poetry collection.
## Context
The segment was extracted by the `structure-extraction-lambda` process and manually edited by user [Structure Extraction](arke:01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H). The poem is part of a larger collection, [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9), which is contained within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It is preceded by the segment [The College Colonel.](arke:01KG8AJNC6C80VZRJQSARV6H3B) and followed by [A Dirge for McPherson,[13]](arke:01KG8AJNC7X2JAS04XFX884GMV).
## Contents
The segment contains the complete text of the poem "The Eagle of the Blue.[12]". The poem describes an eagle as a symbol of strength and resilience, particularly in the context of war. It references the eagle guarding "the starry folds," its joy in the wind and war, and its ability to withstand the "scream of shells" and "blinding sun." The poem concludes by noting the eagle's charmed existence and its status as an emblem.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:29.452Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- The Eagle of the Blue.[12]
- end_line
- 2545
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 2511
- text
- The Eagle of the Blue.[12]
Aloft he guards the starry folds
Who is the brother of the star;
The bird whose joy is in the wind
Exultleth in the war.
No painted plume--a sober hue,
His beauty is his power;
That eager calm of gaze intent
Foresees the Sibyl’s hour.
Austere, he crowns the swaying perch,
Flapped by the angry flag;
The hurricane from the battery sings,
But his claw has known the crag.
Amid the scream of shells, his scream
Runs shrilling; and the glare
Of eyes that brave the blinding sun
The vollied flame can bear.
The pride of quenchless strength is his--
Strength which, though chained, avails;
The very rebel looks and thrills--
The anchored Emblem hails.
Though scarred in many a furious fray,
No deadly hurt he knew;
Well may we think his years are charmed--
The Eagle of the Blue.
- title
- The Eagle of the Blue.[12]