Our young men shall see visions

[sovay]

If any question why we died,
Tell them, because our fathers lied.
—Rudyard Kipling, "Common Form" (1918)

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I wonder if he included himself in the condemnation. I rather think he did.

Kipling is one of the great writers of WWI- not only for the poems but for stories like Mary Postgate, The Janeites, A Madonna of the Trenches, The Gardener.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

I wonder if he included himself in the condemnation. I rather think he did.

I'm absolutely sure he did; this is dated after his own son's death, and he was never a careless writer, he cannot but have meant that resonance.

Kipling is one of the great writers of WWI- not only for the poems but for stories like Mary Postgate, The Janeites, A Madonna of the Trenches, The Gardener.

Yes. And I would add "In the Interests of the Brethren", because it may be about the Masons but actually it's about betrayal, and universality, and war...

[sovay]

I'm absolutely sure he did; this is dated after his own son's death, and he was never a careless writer, he cannot but have meant that resonance.

Yes.

"Have you news of my boy Jack?"

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes. You can't have The Janeites without In The Interests of the Brethren. This conversation has just prompted me to reread them both.