Tag: WWI
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Bombs in Billets
Mr Burke from Battersea has an early start Up with larks, ensuring binmen do their jobs If you spy him circuiting the park he is warden of, and try stalking past him He will shout as if you had not seen him and were keen to stop and talk He bellows about battle Overseas retreats…
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Battle Knackered
Cattle cattle cattle Years of battle A decade waging a pro-war campaign, sabre-rattling zealots at last touch down on the frontline Meeting the chain death of rises lipped by gatlings Skulls in a line, as would dot tribal idols’ feet Slumped dead along ratlines east of the Seine, rivalling rubbish for scent Spent shell wreckage…
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World on the March
From the vantage of a top window I watch khaki ants vanish Factions action bound make passage Leaving in jolly batches, in patchwork and motley Returning in patch and blood-blotted bandage Hand in hand the gas damaged living in the land of Nod Distant action A sense of traction, of freefall Inked names suffer no…
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Notification of Death 1915
She hears gravel level Level step of a step sergeant Loud chest his jangling medals of charge His thumb web black from repeated discharge within a yard of target He hands over a cream card, says Mrs Hargreaves my heart grieves When one leaks, indeed all England bleeds I know that he died on his…