Herman Melville's "In the Prison Pen"
About this episode
This episode features Herman Melville's poem 'In the Prison Pen', reflecting on the harsh realities of a Civil War prison camp.
Today’s poem comes from a writer not remembered for his poetry, but when Melville’s early success as a novelist seemed to falter, he dedicated a number of years and considerable energies to poetry instead. This poem describes the dehumanizing conditions on a Civil War prison camp. Happy reading. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe
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