“Clasped in her grand,
Greek arms he understood
Whose were the fatal lips that he had kissed—
Lips that the soul of Youth has loved from old— Hot lips of Liberty that kiss men cold.”
-Hervey Allen, “Solider Poet”
Prior to visiting Homewood Cemetery for the first time, I read Hervey Allen’s poem, “Soldier-Poet.” The poem memorializes Allen’s fellow solider-poet Francis Fowler Hogan and illustrates the fragility of life. Allen and Hogan, both Pittsburgh natives who served in World War I, were no strangers to the sensitive nature of death (Hervey). As both men are buried in Homewood Cemetery, it seemed fitting to visit their graves and reflect on Allen’s profound poetry and the means by which we honor the deceased. I am not usually one who enjoys visiting cemeteries, but I was particularly intrigued to see Hogan’s headstone. Allen’s poem about a dying soldier honors Hogan in an abstract sense, but the headstone is a tangible memorial of his legacy. Headstones are not in place to simply mark a gravesite, in fact many graves are left unmarked. They connect living visitors and the deceased in a unique way. Headstones are a commemorative fixture that give visitors a brief glimpse into the life and legacy of the person who is buried there.
Looking around Homewood Cemetery, it is fairly easy to identify older headstones based on their condition. Homewood Cemetery has served as a final resting place for countless Pittsburghers for more than a century. Founded in 1878, the lawn-park style cemetery has withstood years of natural aging. Homewood is a green space that is loved by the public for its winding walking paths and peaceful outdoor atmosphere. The picturesque cemetery was founded in hopes of providing an inclusive cemetery for residents of all backgrounds from Pittsburgh's East End and surrounding areas. Visitors frequent the cemetery to walk along the paths, bird watch, and honor those buried within the gates. Homewood Cemetery is truly a “place to remember and be remembered” (Welcome).
Scattered across the rolling landscape, the countless headstones are a main indicator of the of the cemetery’s old age. Commonly used in cemeteries to mark graves, headstones are a reminder of the life lost. The oldest headstones found in Homewood date back to over a century ago when burial practices differed from current ones. When Homewood first opened to the public, many headstones were made from different materials than they are now. Additionally, some cultural practices involve unique treatment and rituals with the graves. Years of harsh natural elements have contributed to the erosion on these older headstones. The diligent grounds crew at Homewood have recently made it their mission to upright 100 headstones each year in an effort to return them to their original beauty (Benford). The headstone uprighting process is grueling, but ultimately worth it.
The varying styles of headstones found in The Homewood Cemetery are among the cemetery’s most notable features. Monuments range from small plaques to grand mausoleums that tower above the walking paths. Uprighting fallen headstones is not a quick, simple task. Due to their impressive age, some headstones are fragile or already broken. Additionally, headstones are not light or easily movable. Some of the headstones in Homewood weigh between a couple hundred pounds and a couple thousand pounds. The grounds crew at Homewood often has to use special tools and machinery to upright the fallen stones.
Landscaping in a cemetery is not solely caring for the headstones and graves, but also tending to the landscape. In addition to the grounds crew’s effort to restore the historical headstones to their original beauty, they care for the cemetery’s lawn-park style landscape and design. The uprighting process is demanding for the grounds crew, but in the long term, greatly benefits the cemetery’s aesthetic. The management at Homewood is steadfast on honoring those buried in the cemetery, and devoting time to the historic landscape is one way they demonstrate their commitment.
Homewood Cemetery was founded with a mission of inclusivity and caring for the headstones is another facet of this. In his poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” Thomas Gray wrote: "The next with dirges due in sad array / Slow thro' the church-way path we saw him borne / Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay / Grav'd on the stone beneath yon aged thorn" (Gray). Gray’s poem explores the relationship between equality and death. Homewood Cemetery is a cemetery, which is characteristically different than a churchyard, but in both headstones are put in place to memorialize the deceased (Welcome). In Gray’s poem, one is invited to approach the headstone and read the engraved epitaph. The poem illustrates contrast between the legacy of deceased prominent figures and the memorials left for common folk like farmers. Gray’s poem shows that while sometimes the physical markers of death are not equal, after dying everyone is ultimately the same. In Homewood Cemetery, headstones range from mausoleums and monuments to simple slabs and markers. The grounds crew at Homewood cares for headstones of all kinds and does not solely care the graves of prominent figures such as the Heinz and the Frick families. Workers at Homewood continue to perpetuate inclusivity as they offer everyone equal opportunity in death.
Over 140 years ago, Homewood Cemetery was founded with the hopes of being a final resting place that fostered inclusivity and supported individuality. Today, Homewood Cemetery is a peaceful green space that visitors come to for solace and to remember the deceased. As Homewood Cemetery continues to grow, it is heartening to know that it is a place that promises families “peace of mind of knowing that they and their loved ones will be cared for with respect and dignity” (Welcome). Walking through the sprawling landscape, it is clear that Homewood Cemetery is resting place full of honor and history. Homewood Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable Pittsburghers, and with the extensive care and respect displayed by the workers, it is safe to say that this space will remain a special place for years to come.
Works Cited
Allen, Hervey. “Soldier-Poet by Hervey Allen.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57343/soldier-poet.
Bedford, Jeanie. Secret Pittsburgh Class Tour. Homewood Cemetery, March 1 2019.
Gray, Thomas. “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray.” Poetry Foundation,Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44299/elegy- written-in-a-country-churchyard.
“Hervey Allen.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/ poets/hervey-allen.
“Welcome.” The Homewood Cemetery, www.thehomewoodcemetery.com/?page=239.