Observations placeholder
Brittain, Vera - The Lament of the Demobilised
Identifier
013136
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Félix Vallotton - Le plateau de Bolante
Just like my father in WWII and he didn't volunteer .............
A description of the experience
The Lament of the Demobilised
'Four years,' some say consolingly,
'Oh well,
What's that? You're young. And then it must have been
A very fine experience for you!'
And they forget
How others stayed behind and just got on -
Got on the better since we were away.
And we came home and found
They had achieved, and men revered their names,
But never mentioned ours;
And no one talked heroics now; and we
Must just go back and start again once more.
'You threw four years into the melting-pot -
Did you indeed!' these others cry.
'Oh well,
The more fool you!'
And we're beginning to agree with them.