Skip to main content
20 years
Narrative
x
  • FICTION
  • POETRY
  • NONFICTION
  • LIBRARY
    • by Author
    • by Theme
    • by Title, Form, Author
    • Narrative Prize Winners
    • Story Lists
    • Contests
  • LEARN
    • Narrative for Schools
    • High School Writing Contest
    • Writing Prompts
    • Video Tutorials
    • Writers & Mentors Videos
    • Advice for Writers
    • Writers’ Resources
    • This Could Be Me
    • Recommended Reading
    • Theme-Based Reading Guide
    • Explore Our Library by Theme
    • A Note to Teachers
    • A Note to Students
    • About Narrative for Schools
  • BACKSTAGE
  • STORE
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Board of Directors
    • Friends & Patrons
    • Events
    • Recent Awards for Our Authors
    • Narrative in the News
    • FAQ
    • Advertise in Narrative
  • DONATE
  • SIGN IN
manage_search Narrative
TELL ME A STORY
person
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
search
  • FICTION
  • POETRY
  • NONFICTION
  • LIBRARY
    • BY AUTHOR
    • BY THEME
    • BY TITLE, FORM, AUTHOR
    • NARRATIVE PRIZE WINNERS
    • STORY LISTS
    • CONTESTS
  • LEARN
    • NARRATIVE FOR SCHOOLS
    • HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST
    • WRITING PROMPTS
    • VIDEO TUTORIALS
    • WRITERS & MENTORS VIDEOS
    • ADVICE FOR WRITERS
    • WRITERS’ RESOURCES
    • RECOMMENDED READING
    • THEME-BASED READING GUIDE
    • EXPLORE BY THEME
    • A NOTE TO TEACHERS
    • A NOTE TO STUDENTS
    • ABOUT SCHOOLS
  • BACKSTAGE
  • STORE
  • SUBMIT YOUR WORK
  • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • MISSION
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • FRIENDS & PATRONS
    • EVENTS
    • NARRATIVE IN THE NEWS
    • FAQ
    • ADVERTISE IN NARRATIVE
  • DONATE
  • ADVERTISING
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
Sign In
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • CONTACT US
  • ADVERTISE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.

Robert Huddleston is a poet, a translator, an essayist, and a lecturer in the Expository Writing Program at New York University. He grew up in Washington, DC, and West Africa and studied at Dartmouth College, the University of London, and the University of Chicago, where he earned a PhD in comparative literature. He is coauthor, with Alexandra Huddleston, of the collaborative artists’ books Lost Things and Amor Fati.

Photograph by Aurélie Coudière.

QUICK TAGS
Education
History &
Politics

War &
Violence

Heartache &
Loss

FOLLOW US:

History Lessons

by Robert Huddleston
Share
Facebook Facebook Threads Threads Reddit Reddit Forward Forward Print Print Copy link Copy link

I didn’t think of it until we were on Meeting Street
and saw the sign: Historic Fort Sumter.
Charleston—the cradle of the Civil War.

How could I have forgotten?
But it compelled us like a document
we’d signed. We knew we had to go.
People on couch
To continue reading please sign in.
Join for free
Already a reader? Sign In

Story Right Column Menu

  • NARRATIVE FOR SCHOOLS
  • SEARCH THE LIBRARY
  • SEARCH BY THEME
  • WRITERS’ RESOURCES
  • SUBMIT YOUR WORK
  • SUPPORT NARRATIVE

Hello. Log In.

Reader Comments

  • Sitting in a cottage in St. Mary's Georgia as I read...

  • CONTACT US
  • ADVERTISE
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Narrative is a nonprofit
supported by readers
who love great writing.
Read us.
Support us.