- description
- # The Muster:
## Overview - What this is (type, form, dates, scope)
"The Muster:" is a segment of text, likely a poem, extracted from the file [battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt](arke:01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8). The text was extracted on January 30, 2026, and is part of the larger collection [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW). The segment spans lines 3335-3379 of the source file.
## Context - Background and provenance from related entities
This segment is part of the poetry collection [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) and is preceded by the segment "America." (arke:01KG8AJQNXCJSQ2FM065ZFKMG1) and followed by "Aurora-Borealis." (arke:01KG8AJQP32A3E9JFPAGX3B7MC). The text was extracted by the "structure-extraction-lambda" tool. The file containing this segment is part of the "Melville Complete Works" collection.
## Contents - What it contains, key subjects and details
"The Muster:" is a poem divided into four sections. The first section describes a banner in the air, referencing "Berenice’s Hair" and the "Brazilian billows." The second section depicts a battle scene, with "Valor" and "Pride" clashing. The third section describes a woman in a shroud, with a vision of "earth’s foundation bare." The final section is not present in the provided text.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:23.732Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- The Muster:
- end_line
- 3379
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3335
- text
- Where the wings of a sunny Dome expand
I saw a Banner in gladsome air--
Starry, like Berenice’s Hair--
Afloat in broadened bravery there;
With undulating long-drawn flow,
As rolled Brazilian billows go
Voluminously o’er the Line.
The Land reposed in peace below;
The children in their glee
Were folded to the exulting heart
Of young Maternity.
II.
Later, and it streamed in fight
When tempest mingled with the fray,
And over the spear-point of the shaft
I saw the ambiguous lightning play.
Valor with Valor strove, and died:
Fierce was Despair, and cruel was Pride;
And the lorn Mother speechless stood,
Pale at the fury of her brood.
III.
Yet later, and the silk did wind
Her fair cold form;
Little availed the shining shroud,
Though ruddy in hue, to cheer or warm.
A watcher looked upon her low, and said--
She sleeps, but sleeps, she is not dead.
But in that sleep contortion showed
The terror of the vision there--
A silent vision unavowed,
Revealing earth’s foundation bare,
And Gorgon in her hidden place.
It was a thing of fear to see
So foul a dream upon so fair a face,
And the dreamer lying in that starry shroud.
IV.
- title
- The Muster: