M.B. HENRY 
Poetry Break: “Let Me Tell You How I Died” – Gettysburg: Little Round Top
Hi everyone! It’s your friendly history enthusiast dropping in here to say hello. I thought I’d check in because you might have noticed I’ve been largely absent over the last couple months. Things in M.B. Henry world have been a little overwhelming lately. Perhaps the biggest update is that I decided to really step outside of my comfort zone and direct a play alongside my husband (learn more about that below). It has been a much bigger commitment than I anticipated and has taken much time and effort, from many people, to get it really going. Then I had some crazy personal things happen – like passing another kidney stone (ouchy), and getting in a scary car accident (NO ONE WAS HURT – THANK GOD… but the car was totaled). So I’ve been a bit behind on several things lately, including this blog. For that I apologize, and I hope things will settle down very soon and I can be a much better blog supporter in the near future. Until then, I’ve decided to leave you with the next installment of my big war poem. If you can believe it, there’s only a few segments left, so I really hope you enjoy it! I’m sending positive vibes to all of you out there, stay safe in these crazy times!
Very Sincerely,
M.B.
Gettysburg – Little Round Top
It was on a hot summer day in July
At the top of a hill, it was my time to die
We were placed at the tip of the Union defense
We had to hold at all cost, on us it depends
The rebs came at us in a deathly charge
Their rifles were flashing, their presence loomed large
We were so few, but we held them at bay
All the heavy shot and shells were blasting away
Then the worst happened, we ran out of shot
The rebels sure had us in a tight spot
But we just couldn’t let them route this line
Or the war was over, the cause out of time
“Fix Bayonetts!” Our colonel did say
“We’re going to charge, it’s the only way!”
It didn’t matter that we were so few
We’d charge like the devil, nothing else to do
We ran down the hillside in a cloud of screams
The gray tore off running, fell apart at the seams
But the victory came at a very high cost
Because I and many others were eternally lost
To be Continued…
Photo by M.B. Henry. For more from Gettysburg, click here
Here’s what’s been keeping me so darn busy! Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso, IN, proudly presents “the Play that Goes Wrong,” a smash, slap-stick comedy about a play within a play that… well… goes quite wrong. Click here to get tickets, and you better hurry. There’s not many left!
And for an extra smile, here’s me in my new favorite shirt. I miss you guys! Drop me a line below and let me know how you’re doing!
The poem was excellent and let us feel the use of bayonets
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Glad you were not hurt in car accident
Me too!! It was quite a scary accident so I’m very, very, very, very grateful no one was hurt! Glad you enjoyed the poem!
🙂
Oh, my! I knew you were busy with the play but an accident and kidney stone, too! I’m glad you are okay and getting back to normal. I enjoyed the poem – picturing Gettysburg Battlefield in my mind’s eye as I read it.
Have you been? It’s a great place to visit, they’ve done a remarkable job keeping it up. And yes definitely hit a bit of a chaotic patch there, but we’ve already got the car replaced and I’m very hopeful the stone is passed – I have a few more in there but they’re tiny and should come out on their own! 🙂 So I’m hoping the dust will settle a bit now!
Hi, M.B., Yes I’ve been to Gettysburg twice. Once before having kids and once since. It is one of my favorite places, despite the sadness left over from the conflicts that existed there. My middle son did a National History Day project on an obscure law that existed at they time of Gettsburg (via Lincoln) about treating troops medically. Very interesting! Hope you continue on the mend.
Excellent portrayal of Chamberlain’s successful gamble at Gettysburg. It made me a huge Chamberlain fan.
Yeah he’s pretty cool – I’m a bit of a fan myself! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it.
🤓
Excellent, effective, sobering poem, MB. You HAVE been busy (the play). Very sorry about the health issue and the (thankfully no one got hurt) car accident.
Thanks Dave! I’m very glad you enjoyed the poem! I’m hoping to make it over to your blog for a visit soon! <3
You’re welcome, MB! I look forward to seeing you there!
Shazam! That’s quite a snazzy shirt. Bummer about totaling the car. I hope no latent injuries crop up, as happened with my brother. How exciting to direct a play. Not exciting to pass kidney stone. Enjoyed the poem, as always.
Isn’t that shirt epic LOL! I found it in the theatre costume room and they told me I could keep it. I’m sorry to hear about your brother – I think since we didn’t see the accident coming (we were hit hard from behind) we didn’t have time to tense up, which helped us avoid major injury. Plus seat belts and air bags did their job!
He never saw it, either. He was parked and Homeland Security was chasing a subject who crashed into the van parked next to him (blocking his view) and all his airbags deployed. But I’m glad to hear you are fine.
Yikes!!! That sounds awful!!
The feds treated him to VIP service at the hospital. Everything checked out fine, but then it turned out his shoulder was a bit messed up. PT did the trick.
It’s good to hear you escaped the accident relatively unscathed, even though your car didn’t. Things like that do complicate life — I hope things have smoothed out, and that you’re doing better physically, too!
I was definitely pretty shook up – it was a scary accident. Very glad no one was hurt! And our insurance company was amazing – they handled everything, including getting us the money for our car, in three days!! We got a new car already thanks to them!
Glad you were not hurt in the accident and happy you are back blogging. We missed your excellent posts.
Thanks Lee! <3 I'm looking forward to hopefully having a bit more time coming up to check out everyone else's work including yours!
Loved the poem and shirt. Did the kidney stone come out when you had the car accident 😂 glad everyone is OK 😀
HAHAHA! The kidney stone was first, but the events did happen within days of each other! I have a few more stones in there, maybe the accident jarred another one loose! 🙂
You have been busy! Glad all is well, good to read another section of the epic poem.
Thank you!
You have been tested – and come through. The poem continues well
🙂 Thanks Derrick. It was certainly a rough few weeks! Hoping the dust will settle now and I can get back to a bit of a routine here.
Wow – you have been meeting yourself coming and going. But looks like play is a good thing? I’m curious about directing with your husband – not fun, fun on some days, unfun on others, tons of fun? Ambitious project.
Sorry about car and kidney stone, too. I have had both – think the kidney stone was more painful, but totaling car longer lasting impact. Bless your heart.
Onward.
It actually has been a lot of fun along with the stress! I am a bit of a creative alpha dog, so I was worried at first about co-directing but honestly we’ve worked very well together and it has been a great joy. And the play completely sold out to the point where we had to add more shows, so no complaints about that. Yes – I agree that the kidney stone is more painful than the car accident, I don’t care to repeat either one. Thanks for your kind wishes <3
Oh, my goodness! I am so glad you are okay. What show were you co-directing?
The Play that Goes Wrong over at Chicago Street Theatre! 🙂 There’s still some seats left for March 3-5 if you’re interested!
Oh, yay! That weekend might work for us. I’ll let you know. 😊
Would love to see you there!
Very evocative and moving! My dad was a great fan of Chamberlain’s so I’m sure familiar with Little Round Top. Oh – and do please take care of yourself!
Thanks very much! I’m very glad you enjoyed the poem
I’m sorry to hear about your mishaps but glad everything came out okay, including the kidney stone.
Well… turns out it might be stuck in there still LOL. Hopefully will find out more this week. But yes everything else came out okay! 🙂 Thanks so much for checking in!
Glad you’re doing OK MB. Best of luck with your new project!
Thanks much!
As always, a beautifully written poem. You have such a wonderful talent for writing. Love you!
Gees,MB, a kidney stone and an accident on top of the gazillion other things you are doing. Be well, my friend. Take care of yourself. I’ve been through both so I empathize. Powerful poem.
Yeah it’s been a wild ride the last few months haha. Turns out I have a few more stones brewing in there so I’m not looking forward to going through that again someday 🙁 🙁 And as for the accident I’m just glad no one was hurt, and the insurance company was on top of it. We had a new car in one week! Thanks so much for the well-wishes, I hope all your travels have been pleasant!
Sorry to hear about your recent setbacks and challenges, M.B. Hope you feel better soon! Sounds like you have more than the usual drama in your life (including directing a play!) right now.
It’s certainly been a busy few months! The play goes for a few more weeks and hopefully life will settle down a bit after that! 🙂 Thanks so much for the well wishes <3
Glad you’re relatively unscathed, and that you’re taking on something out of your comfort zone. Hope it’s fun!
It is definitely fun!! 🙂
I have no idea how you found time for lyricism in all this chaos. So sorry about the scary car accident – it takes a while to get over that. Good luck with the play. Kidney stones are so painful – sending you a gentle hug. K x
Thank you! I need all the gentle hugs I can get! <3 The accident was scary and I'm definitely still emotionally shaken up, but so, so grateful no one got hurt - not me, not my husband, not the guy who hit us. As for the kidney stones... well, that's a whole other adventure. It might be still be stuck in there apparently! 🙁
Kidney stones run in both sides of my family but fingers crossed… Both sides have used ultrasound to break down the stone. Great to hear that no one was hurt in the crash – that’s all that matters.
Welcome back, MB. Glad you’re still with us!
Thanks!!! 🙂
Omg, an accident, kidney stone, and a play! Sorry for the first two and congrats on the third!
And as usual, a very heartfelt poem!
Thank you! 🙂 The play was definitely something different for me, but it’s also been a very cool experience.
Wow matey, my daughter my daughter totaled one of my cars but like your lucky self no one was hurt. I have heard that those kidney stones are very painful so I sympathize with you.
You do sound like the busy bee, what with the book and now a play, make sure you take care of your self.
Thank you very much! <3
Great poem! I am glad to know that you are safe and well. 🙏😇
Thank you! 🙂
Glad you weren’t hurt! I enjoyed the poem. Joshua Chamberlain and his men held Little Roundtop if I remember correctly. 😁
janet
You are correct! 🙂
You’re a theatre director! AWESOME!! How was the play? And did you enjoy the directorial experience?
Sorry to hear about the accident, but relieved to hear there weren’t serious injuries.
I actually did enjoy directing the play very, very much! It was a comedy (the Play that Goes Wrong), which was a nice break away from dealing in wars and battlefields like I do with my writing haha. It was my first time directing so there was a bit of a learning curve, but overall it was a very rewarding experience.