Nuance

It’s probably been eight years

Since I last read Across Five Aprils,

A gorgeously written historical fiction account

Of the War Between the States,

Through the lens of one family

In Southern Illinois—

A place that officially stayed in the Union

But had Confederate leanings, too.

I am astonished again at the vast scholarship

Required to write this lyrical account:

The understanding of geography 

Necessary to explain strategy

The understanding of human nature 

Necessary to explain divergent choices

The carefully written dialogue

Necessary to maintain sympathy and kindness.

If you find yourself stuck in the easy narrative

North equals good, South equals bad,

I commend this book as a way to learn 

Nuance.