"The Cotton Boll" by Henry Timrod

Henry Timrod uses the poem “The Cotton Boll” to convey his views of the Civil War and his fear that the war will destroy the southern landscape; his views are effectively expressed through a comparison between the peacefulness of the land and the turbulent nature of war. This comparison is achieved through descriptions of nature and the weather. In the beginning, the speaker is sitting underneath a tree admiring the landscape around him; he describes the weather as being clear and sunny with a light breeze. To him, the fields are white and glowing in the sun, like a “sea of billowy gold,” and the land contains “all the common gifts of God.” The overall scene is calm and quiet except in rare cases when there is thunder, which he describes as “golden chimes.”

The speaker’s description of the weather and nature changes when he describes the storm, which is symbolic of the war. The scene is no longer calm as the “toil” of the water and wind creates a “dull booming” and a “mighty muffled roar.” The speaker also correlates the “Northern winds” with “the voice of woe.” These descriptions of sounds are very negative in comparison to the “golden chimes.” The speaker also associates war with change, similar to the movement of water and wind being able to “split a rock” or “carve a niche.” The description of nature and weather is used to foreshadow the coming of war and the changes that is brought about by war. The speaker appreciates the land and all the gifts it provides the people, and he does not want the landscape to change.

The poem ends with a request to God to help the South win the war and preserve the peaceful southern fields. The speaker states, “Oh, help us, Lord! To roll the crimson flood / Back on its course…” The speaker wants to drive the war back so that this landscape can be preserved. He realizes that “there is much even Victory must regret,” which means that the destruction of this landscape will be regrettable, even if the South should win the war. Timrod displays a very negative attitude of the north; he equates the north to the Goths or the Vikings who raided and plundered towns, when he states “till the Goth shall cling / To his own blasted alter-stones…” The association of the alter-stones to the north also implies that northerners are pagans who may participate in sacrifices; Timrod believes that the north will corrupt the landscape and stain it with blood.