Direct me towards a grounded earth, where courteously laid

Long time bestrewed, things beautiful, broadcasted round,

Unanxious of men’s martial casts, slight curious jobbing things,

Conceived in leisure

And glance askance; uncurtain fields where poppies shake out streams

Of gold-red fire-flames, lives undocumented

Along brute battle-throe fields’ whereat metal blows get empire;

Erect and sentry-like they prove

Possessors of the field, soil’s soldiers on the wire

Roots leaching downwards vegetable meals, displacing

The vagrant hour incumbent of delay in patience

By grace invading

Somme’s ghastly-furnished loams, harsh harrows rows turned over;

Bear the muddied prize

Here oaks stood, splintered now, bloodshot split open yews, shiver astounded

Peace-Monarchs of Creation old, and onetime Sovereign boles

Blasted now, bearing widows’ sons’ part pieces

Here further up dog bark the railway guns

They’re shunting ever further down the line

Always just that bit more, shells peeling over hanging heads

And pasturage impaled

Earth’s living daylight shatters, sore expired leaving us doubt;

A pitted landscape ’quitted of felicitations

Irregulars, standing armies, couch, command the land

Framing a headquarters make compound for intelligence,

Forgiving no-one quarter, till the spoils of blood stale, browns

Possess the land

Stirs summon common men from terra firma to make manoeuvres

Prospects, schemes prepossessing, summon overlord wake-vergers

“I am become a destroyer of worlds” goes long their barrow tune

Ad axiom de facto

Modest love’s kisses yet are sweet-availing nature’s passion

Pour out billion, billion buds, so are the centuries’ scars thus soothed,

Times-fools of schools brute urges use; when thrust shall go;

That this I know, I know

Et Deo gratias