The theme for this month's WW1 poems
is
Literary Figures
Those poets who are perhaps better known for their stories
Edith Nesbit
1838 - 1924
The Fields Of Flanders
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Literary Figures
Those poets who are perhaps better known for their stories
Edith Nesbit
1838 - 1924
The Fields Of Flanders
Last year the fields were all glad and gay
With silver daisies and silver may;
There were kingcups gold by the river's edge
And primrose stars under every hedge.
With silver daisies and silver may;
There were kingcups gold by the river's edge
And primrose stars under every hedge.
This year the fields are trampled and brown,
The hedges are broken and beaten down,
And where the primroses used to grow
Are little black crosses set in a row.
The hedges are broken and beaten down,
And where the primroses used to grow
Are little black crosses set in a row.
And the flower of hopes, and the flowers of dreams,
The noble, fruitful, beautiful schemes,
The tree of life with its fruit and bud,
Are trampled down in the mud and the blood.
The noble, fruitful, beautiful schemes,
The tree of life with its fruit and bud,
Are trampled down in the mud and the blood.
The changing seasons will bring again
The magic of Spring to our wood and plain:
Though the Spring be so green as never was seen
The crosses will still be black in the green.
The magic of Spring to our wood and plain:
Though the Spring be so green as never was seen
The crosses will still be black in the green.
The God of battles shall judge the foe
Who trampled our country and laid her low . . .
God! hold our hands on the reckoning day,
Lest all we owe them we should repay.
Who trampled our country and laid her low . . .
God! hold our hands on the reckoning day,
Lest all we owe them we should repay.
Written in 1915
Edith Nesbit was an English
author and poet. She wrote many novels for children and adults but perhaps she
is best known for; Five Children and It (1902), and The Railway Children (1906)
Nesbit lived a colourful and
active life while writing her poems, plays, short stories, fiction and
non-fiction. With elements of fantasy, time travel and spies, fairy tales and magic, her children's stories are a reflection of her idyllic childhood days and travels through England,
France, and Germany.
Such a sadness in there, whilst commenting on the best season of the year. I didn't know she wrote verse as well as her books. Thanks Josie.
ReplyDeleteI agree Susan - such a sad concept to discover life going on around you when there was such sadness.
ReplyDeleteEdith Nesbit was a prolific writer but I've only ever known her as the author of children's stories.