Journal For Poetry Challenge#7 15,01,2012
Sir Herbert Edward Read (1893-1968), the poet and critic, was born in Yorkshire in 1893.
His college studies, at Leeds University, were interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War, in which he served with the Yorkshire Regiment in France and Belgium. During his service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Military Cross in the same year, 1918.
He continued to publish poetry for the remainder of his life, his final volume, Collected Poems, being published in 1966. Knighted in 1953 by Churchill for services to literature, Sir Herbert Read, who married twice, died on 12 June 1968.
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Herbert Read (1893-1968)
“The Happy Warrior”
His wild heart beats with painful sobs,
His strin’d hands clench an ice-cold rifle,
His aching jaws grip a hot parch’d tongue,
His wide eyes search unconsciously.
He cannot shriek.
Bloody saliva
Dribbles down his shapeless jacket.
I saw him stab
And stab again
A well-killed Boche.
This is the happy warrior,
This is he…
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The poem shows the dirty horrible side of war. The blind terror, the mental agony the mind so numbed with fear that the soldier slobbers un- known. This is what was laughingly known as the happy warrior, this happy band! So sad so very sad.
Poetry Challenge #7 is to create a journal of links and your reactions to poems by established (living or dead poets.) Details are here. Example response is here. Mr. Linky for Challenge #7 is directly below:
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Author: willowdot21
Female, wife, full time mother and Grandmother. I am not as happy go lucky as I used to be but I am still bubbling along on simmer! I have three handsome sons all grown and flown.The youngest married with a beautiful wife and two sons of his own. Eleven years ago I was working, running a home, driving and socializing then bang in a split second all that was gone. I had an accident at home. I broke my back, not for the first time, I had broken it 10 years previously as well. Unfortunately this time I had broken it really badly and it was truly messed up so I had to have two operations. I was told before each operation that the outcome could mean I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Still as some guy once wrote "I am still standing " yes "better than I ever was " not quite but with the help of a walking stick and as long as I do not stand or sit in one position for too long, I am still standing! Update I no longer use the walking stick . I had lots of friends before the accident but when things like this happen, you loose most of them. Their lives move on and mine stood still and so they left me behind ...I know that is just the way life is but it hurt and always will. Then I looked around and saw those who were still there for me, these friends are the roses in my garden they need to be tended well. They are the diamonds in the dust, I will of been married 50yrs plus this year . Pain and boredom are my enemies now, I have to find different ways to approach life, use my pain befriend it almost...yer right , well that is what they tell me at the pain clinic ROFLMAO ...... if only I could! I have found an outlet for my fears, frustrations and night terrors . I have started writing poetry if that name can be applied to my writing. I hope I do not come over as a moaning winger. I hope I am past all that. I also hope that you might see how the poetry is moving from very dark through the grey and
hopefully in to light ??
I need to update this a little here. I have worked very hard over the years since my accident, I go to the gym regularly, I have a Pilates class and a core class once a week . The guys at the gym and my Pilates teacher cajoled, teased, bullied and encouraged me to abandon my walking stick! :) My back is no longer straight it is C shaped because of the injury and I have lost two and a half inches in height but my Pilates and Core teachers have helped me to stand up as straight and as strongly as possible. Pain and depression are still hanging on my arm but I have weapons to use against them and if I say so myself I cope well.
I have made lots of new friends, real diamonds. I am also very grateful for all the support and help I have encountered here on Wordpress. Hugs and welcome to everyone who visits.
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willowdot21 
War is such an ugly thing, thank you for sharing that sad but true poem, I had not heard of it before.
Andrea
Yes war is ugly and still it goes on. I do hope you are having a good week. xx
short but so succinct highlighting the brutality and futility of war.
Yes it hits you like a bullet.xx
Congrats xo
http://catforsley.me/2012/01/15/one-lovely-blog-award-and-nominations-by-cat-forsley/
Well thank you very much, I am grateful !
Kinda makes ya understand where those kids urinating on those corpses were coming from.
Yes it is a funny thing. We like would be up in arms were it the other way around…But they do say all is fair in love and war. And this is a dirty war. Who knows what those lads have been through to do this!
Wow. This is intense and gripping. Perfect.
so sad XX
yes indeed, war is cruel and leaves no mercy, thanks for sharing this piece …
There never seems to be an end to war………………. xx
This is very interesting…
war is evil and wicked