The Bravest Battle by Joaquin Miller

My Mother

The Bravest Battle
The bravest battle that ever was fought
Shall I tell you where and when
On the maps of the world you will find it not
‘Twas fought by the mothers of men

Nay not with the cannon of battle-shot
With a sword or noble pen
Nay, not with eloquent words or thought
From mouth of wonderful men

But deep in a walled-up woman’s heart
Of a woman that would not yield
But bravely, silently bore her part
Lo, there is the battlefield

No marshalling troops, no bivouac song
No banner to gleam and wave
But oh! those battles, they last so long
From babyhood to the grave

Yet, faithful still as a bridge of stars
She fights in her walled-up town
Fights on and on in her endless wars
Then silent, unseen, goes down

Oh, ye with banners and battle-shot
And soldiers to shout and praise
I tell you the kingliest victories fought
Were fought in those silent ways

O spotless woman in a world of shame
With splendid and silent scorn
Go back to God as white as you came
The Kingliest warrior born
- Joaquin Miller (1839-1913)