letter to my dear love eleanor oh eleanor how i long for your touch your affection
Letter to my dear love, Eleanor
Oh Eleanor, how I long for your touch, your affection.
??Asleep - stanza 1
Under his helmet, up against his pack,
After the many days of work and waking,
Sleep took him by the brow and laid him back.
And in the happy no-time of his sleeping,
Death took him by the heart. There was a quaking
Of the aborted life within him leaping ...
Then chest and sleepy arms once more fell slack.
And soon the slow, stray blood came creeping
From the intrusive lead, like ants on track.
??Storm - stanza 1
His face was charged with beauty as a cloud
With glimmering lightning. When it shadowed me,
I shook, and was uneasy as a tree
That draws the brilliant danger, tremulous, bowed.
??Arms and the boy - stanza 2
Lend him to stroke these blind, blunt bullet-leads,
Which long to nuzzle in the hearts of lads,
Or give him cartridges of fine zinc teeth
Sharp with the sharpness of grief and death.
??Disabled - stanza 6
Now, he will spend a few sick years in institutes,
And do what things the rules consider wise,
And take whatever pity they may dole.
Tonight he noticed how the women's eyes
Passed from him to the strong men that were whole.
How cold and late it is! Why don't they come
And put him into bed? Why don't they come?
??Anthem for a doomed youth - stanza 2
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
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I shall be eternally yours Eleanor.
With love,
George
I shall be eternally yours Eleanor.
