Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BATTALION-RELIEF, by SIEGFRIED SASSOON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Fall in! Now get a move on!' (curse the rain) Last Line: And tell me, have we won this war or not?' Subject(s): World War I; First World War | ||||||||
'FALL in! Now get a move on.' (Curse the rain.) We splash away along the straggling village, Out to the flat rich country, green with June... And sunset flares across wet crops and tillage, Blazing with splendour-patches. (Harvest soon, Up in the Line.) 'Perhaps the War'll be done 'By Christmas-Day. Keep smiling then, old son.' Here's the Canal: it's dusk; we cross the bridge. 'Lead on there, by platoons.' (The Line's a-glare With shell-fire through the poplars; distant rattle Of rifles and machine-guns.) 'Fritz is there! 'Christ, ain't it lively, Sergeant? Is't a battle?' More rain: the lightning blinks, and thunder rumbles. 'There's over-head artillery!' some chap grumbles. What's all this mob at the cross-roads? Where are the guides?... 'Lead on with number One.' And off they go. 'Three minute intervals.' (Poor blundering files, Sweating and blindly burdened; who's to know If death will catch them in those two dark miles?) More rain. 'Lead on, Head-quarters.' (That's the lot.) 'Who's that?... Oh, Sergeant-Major, don't get shot! 'And tell me, have we won this war or not?' | 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 |
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