The General came in a new tin hat
To the shell-torn front where the war was at;
With a faithful Aide at his good right hand
He made his way toward No Man’s Land,
And a tough Top Sergeant there they found,
And a Captain, too, to show them round.
Threading the ditch, their heads bent low,
Toward the lines of the watchful foe
They came through the murk and the powder stench
Till the Sergeant whispered, “Third-line trench!”
And the Captain whispered, “Third-line trench!”
And the Aide repeated, “Third-line trench!”
And Pershing answered- not in French-
“Yes, I see it. Third-line trench.”
Again they marched with wary tread,
Following on where the Sergeant led
Through the wet and the muck as well,
Till they came to another parallel.
They halted there in the mud and drench,
And the Sergeant whispered, “Second-line trench!”
And the Captain whispered, “Second-line trench!”
And the Aide repeated, “Second-line trench!”
And Pershing nodded: “Second-line trench!”
Yet on they went through mire like pitch
Till they came to a fine and spacious ditch
Well camouflaged from planes and Zeps
Where soldiers stood on firing steps
And a Major sat on a wooden bench;
And the Sergeant whispered, “First-line trench!”
And the Captain whispered, “First-line trench!”
And the Aide repeated, “First-line trench!”
And Pershing whispered, “Yes, I see.
How far off is the enemy?”
And the faithful Aide he asked, asked he,
“How far off is the enemy?”
And the Captain breathed in a softer key,
“How far off is the enemy?”
The silence lay in heaps and piles
And the Sergeant whispered, “Just three miles.”
And the Captain whispered, “Just three miles.”
And the Aide repeated, “Just three miles.”
“Just three miles!” the General swore,
“What in the heck are we whispering for?”
And the faithful Aide the message bore,
“What in the heck are we whispering for?”
And the Captain said in a gentle roar,
“What in the heck are we whispering for?”
“Whispering for?” the echo rolled;
And the Sergeant whispered, “I have a cold.”
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
-
thanks for the memory
From guest toeless joe (contact)
I was required to memorize this in high school in 1951 thanks to a teacher in Cushing OK -
Oops
Not only did I put my comments in twice, I stated my father may have been trying to teach me to be a follower instead of a leader. I do believe you all know what I really meant. -
Yes, Indeed. Thanks so Very Much
From guest Carroll Martin (contact)
I first heard this poem when I was about 7 years old. My father, Howard W. Martin (I love and miss you, Dad) read this to me. I couldn't remember the name of the poem,but I did remember the generals line regarding the reason why they were whispering. I don't know if my Dad was trying to teach me something or not and I didn't really care. I just enjoyed the fact that he was reading to me. -
Indeed, Thanks So Much
From guest Carroll Martin (contact)
My father first read this poem to me when I was about 7 years old (I'm 42 now). I had forgotten the title, but I did remember that line from the general. I think my father was trying to teach me to be a follower, not a leader. I didn't know that and to be truthful, didn't care. I just enjoyed the fact that he was reading to me. -
Thanks so much!
From guest Sharon (contact)
I first heard this poem in 1960 when I was a high school freshman. I wanted to share it with my grandson, who is 16. Thanks to great English teachers everywhere. Thanks, Mr. William Barrett of Trenton State, wherever you are now! -
Beautiful, memorable poetry!
From guest Randolph S Knipp (contact)
I heard this first in high school, E. C. Glass, circa 1950, and it is one of those memorable poems that made literature pleasant. Had a hard time rediscovering it, but did by Googling "Whispering for? The echo rolled". Thank goodness someone saves this stuff! -
Still Brilliantly Done
I have read this poem many times before, especially when younger and had an English teacher that loved poetry. I loved it then and still do. Seriousness and humor combined. I still laugh each time I read it. -
Embarrassed - who me!
Well Yes I am - it was me who made this error and what a beauty it was too but I have had to correct it - it would have driven me nuts knowing it was wrong and leaving it there. OK so I'm embarrassed but smiling
Von -
Title Typo Alert!
"PERISHING at the Front" Good grief! Someone should have caught this blatant typo much earlier. The correct title is "PERSHING at the Front" in reference to U.S. General Pershing, whose name is correctly spelled in the lines of the poem. I really wasn't sure whether the title was a play on words until I did a Goggle seach on Arthur Guiterman.
I don't think this error should be corrected. Let's keep it as a lesson (it's the first reference that pops up in the Goggle search with a link to oldpoetry) that we need to at least check titles for typos before posting a new poem.
Charley Noble -
Clever
Sneaky. You read through with mounting tension in the expectation that there will be some denouement of war only to be hit by a joke that must have been a classic even by the time of Guiterman -
As I read this I was anticipating some deep dark anti-war subtelty. The last few lines were a wonderful release and gave me a good laugh.
His phrasing, his rhythm, his controled repetition are all so well done I am amazed he did not reached greater prominence.
Jim S
Adding your comment:
1 - 6 of 6
