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A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight Lyrics by Herman Melville

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Plain be the phrase, yet apt the verse,
More ponderous than nimble;
For since grimed War here laid aside
His painted pomp, 'twould ill befit
Overmuch to ply
The rhyme's barbaric symbol.
Hail to victory without the gaud
Of glory; zeal that needs no fans
Of banners; plain mechanic power
Plied cogently in War now placed —
Where War belongs —
Among the trades and artisans.
Yet this was battle, and intense —
Beyond the strife of fleets heroic;
Deadlier, closer, calm 'mid storm;
No passion; all went on by crank.
Pivot, and screw,
And calculations of caloric.
Needless to dwell; the story's known.
The ringing of those plates on plates
Still ringeth round the world —
The clangor of the blacksmiths' fray.
The anvil-din
Resounds this message from the Fates:
War shall yet be, and to the end;
But war-paint shows the streaks of weather;
War yet shall be, but the warriors
Are now but operatives; War's made
Less grand than Peace,
And a singe runs through lace and feather.
Credits
Herman Melville

Herman Melville

About “A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight” by Herman Melville

Read the complete lyrics to "A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight" by Herman Melville. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight" is performed by Herman Melville. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight", explore more songs by Herman Melville using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight" is credited to Herman Melville. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Herman Melville artist page at /artist/herman-melville for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.