Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MATEY (CAMBRIN, MAY 1915), by PATRICK MACGILL


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MATEY (CAMBRIN, MAY 1915), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Not comin' back tonight, matey
Last Line: But gawd! It went through me 'eart.
Subject(s): Brotherhood; Death; Grief; Soldiers; War; World War I; Dead, The; Sorrow; Sadness; First World War


Not comin' back to-night, matey,
And reliefs are comin' through,
We're all goin' out all right, matey,
Only we're leavin' you.
Gawd! it's a bloody sin, matey,
Now that we've finished the fight,
We go when reliefs come in, matey,
But you're stayin' 'ere to-night.

Over the top is cold, matey,
You lie on the field alone,
Didn't I love you of old, matey,
Better than blood of my own?
You were my dearest chum, matey—
(Gawd! but your face is white)—
But now, though reliefs 'ave come, matey,
I'm goin' alone to-night.

I'd sooner the bullet was mine, matey,
Goin' out on my own,
Leavin' you 'ere in the line, matey,
All by yourself, alone.
Chum o' mine, and you're dead, matey,
And this is the way we part,
The bullet went through your head, matey,
But Gawd! it went through me 'eart.





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