Some Belated WWI Poetry

I think it's been a good several years since I posted some poetry. The commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One seems like a good time to start. 

Here's one of the premier WWI poets - Siegfried Sassoon, who lived a pretty good long life after the end of the war.

Dreamers

BY SIEGFRIED SASSOON

Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,

Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.   

In the great hour of destiny they stand,

Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows.   

Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win   

Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.

Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin

They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.

I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,

And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,   

Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,

And mocked by hopeless longing to regain   

Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,

And going to the office in the train.