The fire met upon the land
On ground where fought the righteous man.
And for his country, honor waged;
Unbridled war unlikely staged
Excerpt from “The Battle of Palo Alto"
Write Out
This poem describing the Battle of Palo Alto was not written in 1846. Irene Salinas Caballero inscribed this commemorative poem for Write Out 2019.
Write Out is a partnership between the National Park Service and the National Writing Project. This year’s theme of “Explore, Create, Connect" encouraged writers of all ages to spark their curiosity and get inspired by exploring and learning about the stories preserved in our National Parks. The writing pieces are posted online to showcase these creations.
Making Connections
On Oct. 22, the Valley Byliners visited Palo Alto to pen their own stories about the battlefield. During their visit, they discussed the importance of communication and how writing connected soldiers to their loved ones at home. As they dipped quill pens into inkwells, these modern day writers discovered how hard it was to write without ink oozing across the page.
When a writer inquired about medical procedures, the group got to see bone saws and bullet extractors along with explanations of how these morbid medical instruments were used.
The day ended as these poets and storytellers reflected on the stories of Palo Alto and listened to a dramatic reading of Irene’s poem.
Tags: writeout literature poetry literature poetry arts in the park npsmuse arts and humanities
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
