Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE VETERAN; MAY, 1916, by MARGARET ISABEL POSTGATE COLE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE VETERAN; MAY, 1916, by                    
First Line: We came upon him sitting in the sun
Last Line: "nineteen, the third of may."
Subject(s): Veterans; Women; World War I; Youth; First World War


We came upon him sitting in the sun,
Blinded by war, and left. And past the fence
There came young soldiers from the Hand and Flower,
Asking advice of his experience.

And he said this, and that, and told them tales,
And all the nightmares of each empty head
Blew into air; then, hearing us beside,
"Poor chaps, how'd they know what it's like?" he said.

And we stood there, and watched him as he sat,
Turning his sockets where they went away,
Until it came to one of us to ask
"And you're -- how old?"
"Nineteen, the third of May."





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