Re: E.A. Mackintosh, war poet

This has always struck me as one of the most poignant, and oft overlooked
poems of the war. I was very pleased to see Hibberd and Onions include it,

Stuart
On 21/11/2011 07:48, "Christopher" <cspriet@gmail.com> wrote:

>Today, November 21st, let us remember the war poet E.A.Mackintosh.
>
>In Memoriam, by Ewart Alan Mackintosh (1893 ­ 1917)
>
>Lt. Ewart Alan Mackintosh M.C. was a war poet and an officer in the
>Seaforth Highlanders. His best poetry has been said to be comparable
>in quality to that of Rupert Brooke. In 1916 he led a raid in which
>several of his men were killed, one of whom inspired this poem.
>Mackintosh was himself killed on 21 November 1917.
>
>IN MEMORIAM Private D. Sutherland killed in Action in the German
>Trench, May 16, 1916, and the Others Who Died.
>
>So you were David's father,
>And he was your only son,
>And the new-cut peats are rotting
>And the work is left undone.
>Because of an old man weeping,
>Just an old man in pain.
>For David, his son David,
>That will not come again.
>
>Oh, the letters he wrote you,
>And I can see them still.
>Not a word of the fighting
>But just the sheep on the hill
>And how you should get the crops in
>Ere the year got stormier,
>And the Bosches have got his body.
>And I was his officer.
>
>You were, only David's father,
>But I had fifty sons
>When we went up in the evening
>Under the arch of the guns,
>And we came back at twilight -
>O God ! I heard them call
>To me for help and pity
>That could not help at all.
>
>Oh, never will I forget you,
>My men that trusted me.
>More my sons than your fathers'.
>For they could only see
>The little helpless babies
>And the young men in their pride.
>They could not see you dying.
>And hold you while you died.
>
>Happy and young and gallant,
>They saw their first-bomb go,
>But not the strong limbs broken
>And the beautiful men brought low,
>The piteous writhing bodies,
>The screamed, " Don't leave me, Sir,"
>For they were only your fathers
>But I was your officer.
>
>taken from:
>A HIGHLAND REGIMENT BY E. A. MACKINTOSH, M.C. Lt. SEAFORTH
>HIGHLANDERS
>LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD, NEW YORK : JOHN LANE COMPANY
>MCMXVIII
>
>Best,
>Chris
>
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