Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE KISS by SIEGFRIED SASSOON

Poet Analysis

First Line: TO THESE I TURN, IN THESE I TRUST
Last Line: QUAIL FROM YOUR DOWNWARD DARTING KISS.
Subject(s): KISSES; SOLDIERS' WRITINGS; WORLD WAR I; FIRST WORLD WAR;
To these I turn, in these I trust --
Brother Lead and Sister Steel.
To his blind power I make appeal,
I guard her beauty clean from rust.

He spins and burns and loves the air,
And splits a skull to win my praise;
But up the nobly marching days
She glitters naked, cold and fair.

Sweet Sister, grant your soldier this:
That in good fury he may feel
The body where he sets his heel
Quail from your downward darting kiss.




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