Signed With Their Honour

Apr 25, 2007 | Arts, Australian Values, Cultural Values, Values, War

For ANZAC Day

Two poems about the madness of war:

Mental Cases by Wilfred Owen

Naming of Parts by Henry Reed

and a poem for the truly great – in our case the diggers:

I Think Continually by Stephen Spender.

_______________________________

For fourteen hours yesterday I was at work, teaching Christ to lift his cross by numbers and how to adjust his crown; and not to imagine the thirst till after the last halt. I attended his supper to see that there were no complaints and inspected his feet that they should be worthy of the nails. I see to it that he is dumb, and stands at attention before his accusers. With a piece of silver I buy him every day, and with maps I make him familiar with the topography of Golgotha.

~ Wilfred Owen, just before he was killed, in the last days of the war

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