Bathed in War’s Perfume
Bathed in War’s Perfume - meaning Summary
War's Alluring Flag
Whitman presents the flag as an alluring, feminine figure that summons men to war. The poem imagines enthusiastic mobilization—sailors, soldiers, ships—framed as joyful and patriotic rather than tragic. Repeating exclamations create a celebratory tempo, emphasizing collective readiness and national ardor. The flag functions as an animating symbol that both watches over and beckons its people toward action.
Read Complete AnalysesBATHED in war’s perfume—delicate flag! (Should the days needing armies, needing fleets, come again,) O to hear you call the sailors and the soldiers! flag like a beautiful woman! O to hear the tramp, tramp, of a million answering men! O the ships they arm with joy! O to see you leap and beckon from the tall masts of ships! O to see you peering down on the sailors on the decks! Flag like the eyes of women.
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