Alice Corbin Henderson
(1881 - 1949)
FALLEN
He was wounded and he fell in the midst of hoarse shouting.
The tide passed, and the waves came and whispered about his ankles.
Far off he heard a cock crow — children laughing,
Rising at dawn to greet the storm of petals
Shaken from apple-boughs; he heard them cry,
And turned again to find the breast of her,
And sank confusèd with a little sigh…
Thereafter water running, and a voice
That seemed to stir and flutter through the trenches
And set dead lips to talking…
Wreckage was mingled with the storm of petals…
He felt her near him, and the weight dropped off –
Suddenly…
Alice Corbin was an American poet, author and poetry editor. Despite not being directly involved in the war she was moved to write this war inspired poem in 1917.
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