mockingbird

for Mary Hopkins Hanna

I first took note, when you came to me

with that song about the mocking bird,

how it sings o'er Hally's grave.

You know the bird well.

Watching your brave poppa
return to the valley that dull day,
boxed in Confederate pine.

You heard it sing again
when you climbed on the wagon
headed west, pulling the little goat behind,
and held the hand of your widowed ma;
family split amongst Hoosier kin, forsaken.

You remember the bird, at its very worst,

as you stood at the open grave of a son,

the same age your poppa was.

Saddest song you'd ever heard,

mocking curse of that damn bird.

willow, 2010

Name: Bennett H. Hopkins

Residence: Franklin County, Virginia

Occupation: Carpenter

Enlistment Date: 24 May 1862

Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Side Served: Confederacy

State Served: Virginia

Unit Numbers: 819 819

Service Record: Enlisted as a Private 24 May 1862 at the age of 31

in Company D, 58th Infantry Regiment Virginia, 24 May 1862.

Died of disease Company D, 58th Infantry Regiment Virginia, 09 February 1864

Bennett Hopkins was my great-great-great grandfather. One day, several years ago, I spent an afternoon logging genealogical stats of his youngest daughter, Mary, my great-great grandmother. I wondered about her thoughts and emotions, having lost not only her father to an untimely death, but also her handsome son, Guy. That evening, as I cooked dinner, I found myself humming a peculiar tune over the stove. I couldn't get the odd song out of my head all week. After some searching, I found it was Listen to the Mockingbird, an American folk song popular during the Civil War. It was said to be Lincoln's favorite song. I believe it also happened to be Mary's. (click here for my post on Deep DNA)

This is a Sepia Saturday post.