Monday, November 11, 2013

Point of Balance

"I'm sure that someday children in schools will study the history of the men who made war as you study an absurdity.
They'll be shocked, just as today
we're shocked with cannibalism."


Golda Meir, 1898 - 1978
Prime Minister of Israel, 1969 - 1974
[see also on this blog: "American Tune"]


Naming of Parts
Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all the neighboring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.

This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.

This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.

And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.

They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, the cocking-piece, and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got;
and the almond blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have the naming of parts.

[emphasis added]

Henry Reed, 1914 - 1986
British poet, translator, radio dramatist and journalist


See also my previous Veterans Day posts:

Armistice Day (2009)

Wartime Soldier, Wartime Child (2010)

"The same war continues . . . " (2011)

94 Years Ago Today (2012)

Flanders Fields ~ What Have We Learned (2012)

War Horse (January 2012)

No comments:

Post a Comment