A New Heaven (To --- on Active Service)
Item
Title
A New Heaven (To --- on Active Service)
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Description
Seeing we never found gay fairyland
(Though still we crouched by bluebells moon by moon)
And missed the tide of Lethe; yet are soon
For that new bridge that leaves old Styx half-spanned;
Nor ever unto Mecca caravanned;
Nor bugled Asgard, skilled in magic rune;
Nor yearned for far Nirvana, the sweet swoon,
And from high Paradise are cursed and banned;
---Let's die home, ferry across the Channel! Thus
Shall we live gods there. Death shall be no sev'rance.
Weary cathedrals light new shrines for us.
To us, rough knees of boys shall ache with rev'rence.
Are not girls' breasts a clear, strong Acropole?
---There our own mothers' tears shall heal us whole.
(Though still we crouched by bluebells moon by moon)
And missed the tide of Lethe; yet are soon
For that new bridge that leaves old Styx half-spanned;
Nor ever unto Mecca caravanned;
Nor bugled Asgard, skilled in magic rune;
Nor yearned for far Nirvana, the sweet swoon,
And from high Paradise are cursed and banned;
---Let's die home, ferry across the Channel! Thus
Shall we live gods there. Death shall be no sev'rance.
Weary cathedrals light new shrines for us.
To us, rough knees of boys shall ache with rev'rence.
Are not girls' breasts a clear, strong Acropole?
---There our own mothers' tears shall heal us whole.
Identifier
3305.txt
Creator
Owen, Wilfred (1893-1918)
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Date
1916-09
Type
Poem
Publisher
The First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Source
The Complete Poems and Fragments of Wilfred Owen edited by Jon Stallworthy first published by Chatto & Windus, 1983
(#72, CPF vol. 1, p. 82, vol. 2, p. 222)
(BL 1.167 and v) (BL 1.65, 166, OEF/ELG)
(#72, CPF vol. 1, p. 82, vol. 2, p. 222)
(BL 1.167 and v) (BL 1.65, 166, OEF/ELG)
