Keith Douglas(1920–1944)

Aristocrats

T h e n o b l e h o r s e w i t h c o u r a g e i n h i s e y e ,

clean in the bone, looks up at a shellburst:

away fly the images of the shires 2

b u t h e p u t s t h e p i p e b a c k i n h i s m o u t h .

P e t e r w a s u n f o r t u n a t e l y k i l l e d b y a n 8 8 : 3

i t t o o k h i s l e g a w a y , h e d i e d i n t h e a m b u l a n c e .

I s a w h i m c r a w l i n g o n t h e s a n d ; h e s a i d

It's m o s t u n f a i r , t h e y ' v e s h o t m y f o o t o f f .

H o w c a n I live a m o n g t h i s g e n t l e

obsolescent breed of heroes, and not weep

U n i c o r n s , a l m o s t ,

for t h e y are f a l l i n g i n t o t w o l e g e n d s

i n w h i c h t h e i r s t u p i d i t y a n d c h i v a l r y

are c e l e b r a t e d . E a c h , f o o l a n d h e r o , w i l l b e a n i m m o r t a l .

T h e p l a i n s w e r e t h e i r c r i c k e t p i t c h 4

a n d i n t h e m o u n t a i n s t h e t r e m e n d o u s d r o p f e n c e s 5

brought down some of the runners. Here then

under the stones and earth they dispose themselves,

I think with their famous unconcern.

It is n o t g u n f i r e I h e a r , b u t a h u n t i n g h o r n . 6

Tunisia, 19431946