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Coo-Ee
“Down under” boys on furlough are in town
Discharged from hospital, repaired and braced,
Their faces still retain, their native brown,
Their millinery captivates our taste.
They’ve proved themselves a terror to the Turk,
Of cut and thrust they bear full many a token,
But though they’ve been through grim, heartbreaking work,
The Anzac spirit never can be broken.
Their talk is picturesque, their manner frank,
A little hasty, what they think— they say—
They’ve got a down on arrogance and swank,
Passive submission doesn’t come their way.
Risk and adventure are their fondest joys,
If there’s a fight around, well, they’ll be in it—
To tell the truth, they really are “some” boys—
You get quite friendly with them in a minute.
Quite friendly, yes, no harm in being friends,
They must not find their furlough dull and tame,
But, girls, see to it there the matter ends,
And show thatLondongirls can play the game,
While of good comradeship you take your fill
Don’t use your power to make their hearts your plunder,
But let them pause, and hear when nights are still
The other girl who coo-ees from “down under.”
Jessie Pope
(1868 – 1941)
Coo-Ee
From: War Poems
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: *War Poetry Archive, Archive O-P, Pope, Jessie, WAR & PEACE
Little And Good
Young Thompson was a bit too short,
But hard as nails and level-headed,
And in his soul the proper sort
Of dogged pluck was deeply bedded ;
To join the ranks he almost ran,
But saw the weedy supersede him ;
Though he was every inch a man,
His country didn’t need him.
He read each passionate appeal
On wall and window, cab and cart ;
How impotent they made him feel !
He tried once more, though sick at heart.
In vain ! He saw the sergeants smirk ;
He argued, but they would not heed him ;
So sullenly trudged back to work
His country didn’t need him.
But, now the standard height’s curtailed,
Again he goes to join the ranks ;
Though yesterday he tried and failed
To-day they welcome him with thanks.
Apparently, he’s just as small,
But since his size no more impedes him,
In spirit he is six foot tall
Because his country needs him.
Jessie Pope
(1868 – 1941)
Little And Good
From: War Poems
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: *War Poetry Archive, Archive O-P, Pope, Jessie, WAR & PEACE
War Girls
There’s the girl who clips your ticket for the train,
And the girl who speeds the lift from floor to floor,
There’s the girl who does a milk-round in the rain,
And the girl who calls for orders at your door.
Strong, sensible, and fit,
They’re out to show their grit,
And tackle jobs with energy and knack.
No longer caged and penned up,
They’re going to keep their end up
Till the khaki soldier boys come marching back.
There’s the motor girl who drives a heavy van,
There’s the butcher girl who brings your joint of meat,
There’s the girl who cries ‘All fares, please!’ like a man,
And the girl who whistles taxis up the street.
Beneath each uniform
Beats a heart that’s soft and warm,
Though of canny mother-wit they show no lack;
But a solemn statement this is,
They’ve no time for love and kisses
Till the khaki soldier-boys come marching back.
Jessie Pope
(1868 – 1941)
War Girls
From: War Poems
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: *War Poetry Archive, Archive O-P, Pope, Jessie, WAR & PEACE
The Charge
of the Light Brigade
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Some one had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turn’d in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder’d:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro’ the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre-stroke
Shatter’d and sunder’d.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder’d.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Alfred Lord Tennyson
(1809-1892)
The Charge of the Light Brigade
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More in: *War Poetry Archive, Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Tennyson, Alfred Lord
Im roten Laubwerk voll Gitarren
Im roten Laubwerk voll Guitarren
Der Mädchen gelbe Haare wehen
Am Zaun, wo Sonnenblumen stehen.
Durch Wolken fährt ein goldner Karren.
In brauner Schatten Ruh verstummen
Die Alten, die sich blöd umschlingen.
Die Waisen süß zur Vesper singen.
In gelben Dünsten Fliegen summen.
Am Bache waschen noch die Frauen.
Die aufgehängten Linnen wallen.
Die Kleine, die mir lang gefallen,
Kommt wieder durch das Abendgrauen.
Vom lauen Himmel Spatzen stürzen
In grüne Löcher voll Verwesung.
Dem Hungrigen täuscht vor Genesung
Ein Duft von Brot und herben Würzen.
Georg Trakl
(1887 – 1914)
Im roten Laubwerk voll Gitarren
Gedichte
(1909-1913)
Max von Esterle Georg Trakl Exlibris 1913
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More in: Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Trakl, Georg, Trakl, Georg
Angriff
Tücher
Winken
Flattern
Knattern.
Winde klatschen.
Dein Lachen weht.
Greifen Fassen
Balgen Zwingen
Kuß
Umfangen
Sinken
Nichts.
August Stramm
(1874-1915)
Allmacht
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Stramm, August, Stramm, August, WAR & PEACE
Allmacht
Forschen Fragen
Du trägst Antwort
Fliehen Fürchten
Du stehst Mut!
Stank und Unrat
Du breitst Reine
Falsch und Tücke
Du lachst Recht!
Wahn Verzweiflung
Du schmiegst Selig
Tod und Elend
Du wärmst Reich!
Hoch und Abgrund
Du bogst Wege
Hölle Teufel
Du siegst Gott!
August Stramm
(1874-1915)
Allmacht
•fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Stramm, August, Stramm, August, WAR & PEACE
The Gardener
At evening, I have seen him wander in
And out hetween the hedges ;
On the moss he treads, where shadows spin
A misty web. He skirts the edges
Indistinct of heliotrope and jessamine.
I wonder what he does, studious
And furtive in the gloom.
Is he covering the tremulous
Young plants that have no spreading bloom
When night is cool, to keep them joung and
luminous?
Or is he mutely speculating there
Upon the flowers themselves ;
His love observing them through the veiled air
As plain as when he weeds and delves
At noon, but with more secret and more wistful
care?
I call the garden mine. This votary
Who loves it makes it his ;
A poet owns his legend. If I were
To ask the garden whose it is.
It would reply : “My master is this gardener.”
Cromwell, Gladys
[1885-1919]
The Gardener
(Poem)
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive C-D, Archive C-D, Cromwell, Gladys, Gladys Cromwell
Der Marsch
Rum und Trum
Rum und Trum
“Potz Kerle! hebt die Beine!”
Rum und Trum
Rum und Trum
“Verfluchte Sonne!” … Schweine!
Flüt und Tü
Flüt und Tü
“Der Brand! … die heiße Kehle!”
Flüt und Tü
Flüt und Tü
“Wie lang noch das Gequäle?!”
Träterä
Träterä
“Ei schaut! bläht dort das Röckchen!”
Träterä
Träterä
“Verteufelt steht das Böckchen!”
Rum und Trum
Rumlidibum
“Wie blinkt das Dörfchen heiter!”
Flüt und Tü
Träterä
Und “weiter! weiter! weiter!”
August Stramm
(1874-1915)
Der Marsch
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Stramm, August, Stramm, August, WAR & PEACE
Leisure
When I have nothing else to do,
When I am free, the hour kind,
I like to lift reflections from
The pool of my mind.
I’m thirsty, and I like to drink
A wisdom cool and clear ;
Standing precautionary, shy,
As lion or as deer.
Cromwell, Gladys
[1885-1919]
Leisure
(Poem)
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive C-D, Archive C-D, Cromwell, Gladys, Gladys Cromwell
Abend
Zähnen
Plantschet streif das Blut des Himmels
Denken schicksalt
Tode zattern und verklatschen
Sterne dünsten
Scheine schwimmen
Wolken greifen fetz das Haar
Und
Weinen
Mein
Zergehn
Dir
In
Den
Schoß.
August Stramm
(1874-1915)
Abend
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Stramm, August, Stramm, August, WAR & PEACE
Als der blaue Reiter war gefallen …
Griffen unsere Hände sich wie Ringe;-
Küßten uns wie Brüder auf den Mund.
Harfen wurden unsere Augen,
Als sie weinten: Himmlisches Konzert.
Nun sind unsere Herzen Waisenengel.
Seine tiefgekränkte Gottheit
Ist erloschen in dem Bilde: Tierschicksale.
Else Lasker-Schüler
(1869 – 1945)
Als der blaue Reiter war gefallen . . .
(Nachruf von Else Lasker-Schüler an den 1916
im 1.Weltkrieg gefallenen Franz Marc)
• fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: *War Poetry Archive, Archive K-L, Archive K-L, Lasker-Schüler, Else
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