{"id":"01KG8AJM1RQNN1SVETN6MTH2PY","cid":"bafkreieeqzadq6dsavyloqfbe7czoz555wsgphixkaau4pgosfben6ea4a","type":"segment","properties":{"description":"# In the Turret.\n\n## Overview\n\"In the Turret.\" is a poetic segment extracted from the [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) collection. This poem, dated March 1862, spans lines 1055-1108 of its source text.\n\n## Context\nThis segment is part of the larger [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) poetry collection, which is itself contained within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The poem was extracted from the digital file [battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt](arke:01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8). It follows the poem \"[The Cumberland.](arke:01KG8AJM1RE8J5MBJ641ZAB6SX)\" and precedes \"[The Temeraire.[3]](arke:01KG8AJM1R8WQWSYSTR0SMYW5N)\" within the collection.\n\n## Contents\nThe poem \"In the Turret.\" is a tribute to \"Worden,\" likely referring to Lieutenant John L. Worden, commander of the USS Monitor during the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862. The verses describe the courage and duty of the sailor confined within the iron-clad turret during the \"first iron battle.\" It evokes a sense of isolation and impending danger, comparing the experience to \"groping into haunted hell.\" The poem emphasizes the themes of duty and bravery in the face of an unprecedented naval engagement, concluding with the enduring fame of the Monitor and its commander, despite the ship's eventual loss.","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:23.788Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"In the Turret.","end_line":1108,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"In the Turret.","source_file":"01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8","start_line":1055,"text":"In the Turret.\r\n(March, 1862.)\r\n\r\n\r\nYour honest heart of duty, Worden,\r\n  So helped you that in fame you dwell;\r\nYou bore the first iron battle’s burden\r\n  Sealed as in a diving-bell.\r\nAlcides, groping into haunted hell\r\nTo bring forth King Admetus’ bride,\r\nBraved naught more vaguely direful and untried.\r\n  What poet shall uplift his charm,\r\nBold Sailor, to your height of daring,\r\n  And interblend therewith the calm,\r\nAnd build a goodly style upon your bearing.\r\n\r\nEscaped the gale of outer ocean--\r\n  Cribbed in a craft which like a log\r\nWas washed by every billow’s motion--\r\n  By night you heard of Og\r\nThe huge; nor felt your courage clog\r\nAt tokens of his onset grim:\r\nYou marked the sunk ship’s flag-staff slim,\r\n  Lit by her burning sister’s heart;\r\nYou marked, and mused: “Day brings the trial:\r\n  Then be it proved if I have part\r\nWith men whose manhood never took denial.”\r\n\r\nA prayer went up--a champion’s. Morning\r\n  Beheld you in the Turret walled\r\nby adamant, where a spirit forewarning\r\n  And all-deriding called:\r\n“Man, darest thou--desperate, unappalled--\r\nBe first to lock thee in the armored tower?\r\nI have thee now; and what the battle-hour\r\n  To me shall bring--heed well--thou’lt share;\r\nThis plot-work, planned to be the foeman’s terror,\r\n  To thee may prove a goblin-snare;\r\nIts very strength and cunning--monstrous error!”\r\n\r\n“Stand up, my heart; be strong; what matter\r\n  If here thou seest thy welded tomb?\r\nAnd let huge Og with thunders batter--\r\n  Duty be still my doom,\r\nThough drowning come in liquid gloom;\r\nFirst duty, duty next, and duty last;\r\nAy, Turret, rivet me here to duty fast!--”\r\n  So nerved, you fought wisely and well;\r\nAnd live, twice live in life and story;\r\n  But over your Monitor dirges swell,\r\nIn wind and wave that keep the rites of glory.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"In the Turret."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9","peer_type":"poetry_collection","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AJM1RE8J5MBJ641ZAB6SX","peer_type":"segment","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AJM1R8WQWSYSTR0SMYW5N","peer_type":"segment","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:37.528Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:24.065Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}