Squire nagged and bullied till I went to fight,
(Under Lord Derby’s Scheme). I died in hell-
(They called it Passchendaele). My wound was slight,
And I was hobbling back; and then a shell
Burst slick upon the duck-boards: so I fell
Into the bottomless mud, and lost the light.
At sermon-time, while Squire is in his pew,
He gives my gilded name a thoughtful stare:
For, though low down upon the list, I’m there;
‘In proud and glorious memory’ … that’s my due.
Two bleeding years I fought in France, for Squire:
I suffered anguish that he’s never guessed.
Once I came home on leave: and then went west…
What greater glory could a man desire?
(Siegfried Sassoon)
More Poetry from Siegfried Sassoon:
Siegfried Sassoon Poems based on Topics: Man, Light, Hell, Success, Desire- "The rank stench of those bodies haunts me still" (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
- Limitations (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
- Trench Duty (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
- A Working Party (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
- Miracles (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
- The Imperfect Lover (Siegfried Sassoon Poems)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Light Poems, Success Poems, Hell Poems, Desire PoemsBased on Keywords: derby, slick, bottomless, hobbling, bullied, nagged, duck-boards, sermon-time, passchendaele
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