War's a joke for me and you,
Wile we know such dreams are true.
- Siegfried Sassoon
Out there, we've walked quite friendly up to Death, —
Sat down and eaten with him, cool and bland, —
Pardoned his spilling mess-tins in our hand.
We've sniffed the green thick odour of his breath, —
Our eyes wept, but our courage didn't writhe.
He's spat at us with bullets and he's coughed
Shrapnel. We chorussed when he sang aloft,
We whistled while he shaved us with his scythe.
Oh, Death was never enemy of ours!
We laughed at him, we leagued with him, old chum.
No soldier's paid to kick against His powers.
We laughed, — knowing that better men would come,
And greater wars: when each proud fighter brags
He wars on Death, for lives; not men, for flags.
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Comments
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Is it over?
From guest John-117 (contact)
I dont think so. As long as the Brutes still have breath i will take it from them. I will return and someday and rest my weary head, but today i cannot. I have a Job to do and an enemy to Fight. Wait for me. -
Believe
From guest Prophet of Truth (contact)
Nations have always built monuments to their heroes, tributes that are defense against, or conquest of other nations. but the monument here doesn't favor one nation over another, it is the first of its kind to commemorate the enduring survival of a species. Our species. More importantly it commemorates the man who gave then world faith, who gave humanity a future, who made mankind believe again, Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 -
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Sassoon's quote
From guest Simon (contact)
i was wondering if anyone knows the context of the quote being put in the poem? -
This paints quite the descriptive scene of what it's like to be in the face of death day after day during times of war. I cannot even imagine what our men and women have had to face all through history just to get us where we are today.
♥ Kimberly -
I almost like the Sassoon quote, though war is not a funny joke.
I like the personification of death here. Almost reminds me of the final scenes of Monty Python's meaning of life, minus the humor.
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