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- Not in Vain
War has its consolations. Under fire,
While drowning in a sea of blood and piss,
The Tommies knew at least they could inspire:
The poets will make something out of this.
Cry God for England, Owen and Sassoon!
The old memorials to the valiant dead
Should say in words of proud and chiselled stone:
They died that others’ poems may be read.
But artists can be altruistic too:
The Sixties’ icons, almost to a man.
Hendrix and Morrison and the others, knew
That living longer would have spoiled the plan
And dying was the decent thing to do
Exactly as the Seventies began.
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Pete Hood on Sep 23, 2009, 11:19 am
Thanks Jodamme. There is always the danger of doggerel if you use rhyme (and I've been guilty of it plenty of times!) And it can get in the way of the message. But I think rhyme can also really strengthen the impact of a piece.
Jodamme on Sep 22, 2009, 4:26 pm
Mmm, brilliant last line. Your stuff always challenges my opinion that rhyming poetry is an unnecessary formality; you always make it work in a crisp, organic way. Effective.
Pete Hood on Sep 18, 2009, 2:25 am
That was the idea, yeah. Though the likes of Jagger and McCartney seem to be growing old gracefully enough (after a fashion).
Jean Adams on Sep 17, 2009, 12:03 pm
Knowing when to bow out gracefully (or perhaps not so gracefully)?