Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CHRIST IN FLANDERS, by LUCY WHITMELL First Line: We had forgotten you, or very nearly Last Line: And that you'll stand beside us to the last. Alternate Author Name(s): W., L. Subject(s): Flanders, Belgium; Jesus Christ; Women; World War I; First World War | ||||||||
We had forgotten You, or very nearly You did not seem to touch us very nearly Of course we thought about You now and then: Especially in any time of trouble We knew that You were good in time of trouble But we are very ordinary men. And there were always other things to think of There's lots of things a man has got to think of His work, his home, his pleasure, and his wife: And so we only thought of You on Sunday Sometimes, perhaps, not even on a Sunday Because there's always lots to fill one's life. And all the while, in street or lane or by-way In country lane, or city street, or by-way You walked among us and we did not see. Your feet were bleeding as You walked our pavements How did we miss your footprints on our pavements? Can there be other folk as blind as we? Now we remember: over here in Flanders (It isn't strange to think of You in Flanders) This hideous warfare seems to make things clear. We never thought about You much in England But, now that we are far away from England We have no doubts, we know that You are here. You helped us pass the jest along the trenches Where, in cold blood, we waited in the trenches You touched its ribaldry and made it fine. You stood before us in our pain and weakness We're glad to think You understand our weakness Somehow it seems to help us not to whine. We think about You kneeling in the garden Ah! God! the agony of that dread garden We know You prayed for us upon the cross. If anything could make us glad to bear it 'Twould be the knowledge that You willed to bear it Paindeaththe uttermost of human loss. Though we forgot YouYou will not forget us We feel so sure You will not forget us But stay with us until this dream is past. And so we ask for courage, strength and pardon Especially, I think, we ask for pardon And that You'll stand beside us to the last. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...D'ANNUNZIO by ERNEST HEMINGWAY 1915: THE TRENCHES by CONRAD AIKEN TO OUR PRESIDENT by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE HORSES by KATHARINE LEE BATES CHILDREN OF THE WAR by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE U-BOAT CREWS by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE RED CROSS NURSE by KATHARINE LEE BATES WAR PROFITS by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE UNCHANGEABLE by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN CAMOMILE TEA by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE LITTLE ELF-MAN by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE: 1 by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |
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