Achilles in the Trench
bkmarcus
Patrick Shaw-Stewart was an Oxford scholar who died in WWI. He wrote this during 3 days of R&R as he waited to be sent to fight at Gallipoli, which is across the Dardenelles (formerly known as the Hellespont) from the site of ancient Troy:
I saw a man this morning
Who did not wish to die;
I ask, and cannot answer,
if otherwise wish I.Fair broke the day this morning
Upon the Dardanelles:
The breeze blew soft, the morn's cheeks
Were cold as cold sea-shells.But other shells are waiting
Across the Aegean Sea;
Shrapnel and high explosives,
Shells and hells for me.Oh Hell of ships and cities,
Hell of men like me,
Fatal second Helen,
Why must I follow thee?Achilles came to Troyland
And I to Chersonese;
He turned from wrath to battle,
And I from three days' peace.Was it so hard, Achilles,
So very hard to die?
Thou knowest, and I know not;
So much the happier am I.I will go back this morning
From Imbros o'er the sea.
Stand in the trench, Achilles,
Flame-capped, and shout for me.
Posted in history, literature, war |






August 27th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
It sometimes seems like our species hasn't learned much in three thousand years.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
And there is this wonderful Eric Bogle anti-war song which references Gallipoli:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG48Ftsr3OI