Wisbech_lad Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 "The Sportsmen" by Keith Douglas. Written in Tunisia, 1943. The noble horse with courage in his eye clean in the bone, looks up at a shellburst: away fly the images of the shires but he puts the pipe back in his mouth. Peter was unfortunately killed by an 88: it took his leg away, he died in the ambulance. I saw him crawling on the sand; he said It's most unfair, they've shot my foot off. How can I live among this gentle obsolescent breed of heroes and not weep? Unicorns almost, for they are falling into two legends in which their stupidity and chivalry are celebrated. Each, fool and hero, will be an immortal The plains were their cricket pitch and in the mountains the tremendous drop fences brought down some of the runners. Here then under the stones and earth they dispose themselves, I think with their famous unconcern. It is not gunfire I hear but a hunting horn. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................................... Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 Nice. If you like I can pen my new desert war ditty which opens 'There was a young man in Buq-Buq' 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanachai Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 Originally posted by Pheasant Plucker: Nice. If you like I can pen my new desert war ditty which opens 'There was a young man in Buq-Buq' Perhaps in the Goodale thread, lad, when it gets here. Thank you for the versification, Wisbech Lad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Determinant Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 'Vergissmeinicht' also by Keith Douglas: Thre weeks gone and the combatants gone, returning to the nightmare ground we found the place again, and found the soldier sprawling in the sun. The frowning barrel of his gun overshadowing. As we came on that day, he hit my tank with one like the entry of a demon. Look. Here in the gunpit spoil the dishonoured picture of his girl who has put: Steffi, Vergissmeinicht in a copybook gothic script. We see him almost with content abased, and seeming to have paid and mocked at by his own equipment that's hard and good when he's decayed. But she would weep to see today how on his skin the swart flies move; the dust upon the paper eye and the burst stomach like a cave. For here the lover and killer are mingled who had one body and one heart. And death who had the soldier singled has done the lover mortal hurt. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakthrough Posted October 12, 2003 Share Posted October 12, 2003 How about this...... 'Here I sit, broken hearted' ' No CMAK yet, so I cant get started.....' Good huh? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................................... Posted October 12, 2003 Share Posted October 12, 2003 Originally posted by Seanachai: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Pheasant Plucker: Nice. If you like I can pen my new desert war ditty which opens 'There was a young man in Buq-Buq' Perhaps in the Goodale thread, lad, when it gets here. Thank you for the versification, Wisbech Lad. </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted October 12, 2003 Share Posted October 12, 2003 I've always liked Keith Douglas. One wonders what kind of poet he might have become in the post-war world. Unfortunately, he was killed in Normandy on June 6 (or 7?) 1944. He also wrote an account of the desert war called "From Alamein to Zim Zim." It's said to be excellent not only as as memoir but for the strength and originality of Douglas' prose. Unfortunately the book is long out of print. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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