Suicide in the Trenches
Encyclopedia
Suicide in the Trenches is a poem by Siegfried Sassoon
, written during his First World War military
service and published in his 1918 collection: Counter-Attack and Other Poems.
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
And no one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Lark (line 4) - Male Skylark
s flew over battlefields singing their song.
Crumps (line 6) - The noise made by shells falling in soft earth.
Lack of rum (line 6) - Rum was given to the troops, sometimes before an attack and sometimes after, to steady nerves, increase confidence and numb feeling.
Kindling (line 9) - Shining or enthusiastic.
When soldier lads march by (line 10) - This probably refers to the enthusiastic parades of new soldiers marching through town and city centers before going off to fight..
, Carl Barat
of The Libertines
. An early Libertines song, 'Lean as a Runner Bean', contains a line from the poem ("The hell where youth and laughter go"), and Doherty would later put music to the poem during a BBC Radio 4
interview. You can listen to this interpretation at Albion Arks.
Doherty and Barat also recited the poem, line by line, to each other at the NME Awards in 2004 upon collecting an award.
In 2009, Brian Blessed
read the poem within the song "Army of the Damned", part of the album
Beneath the Veiled Embrace
by the band Pythia
.
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
, written during his First World War military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
service and published in his 1918 collection: Counter-Attack and Other Poems.
The Poem
I knew a simple soldier boy.....Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
And no one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Points of interest
Soldier Boy (line 1) - Portrays the innocence and young age of the soldier (explaining why he could not cope)Lark (line 4) - Male Skylark
Skylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
s flew over battlefields singing their song.
Crumps (line 6) - The noise made by shells falling in soft earth.
Lack of rum (line 6) - Rum was given to the troops, sometimes before an attack and sometimes after, to steady nerves, increase confidence and numb feeling.
Kindling (line 9) - Shining or enthusiastic.
When soldier lads march by (line 10) - This probably refers to the enthusiastic parades of new soldiers marching through town and city centers before going off to fight..
Cultural references
Siegfried Sassoon provided much influence to Pete DohertyPete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
, Carl Barat
Carl Barât
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician, actor and author. He was the frontman and lead guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things, and recently debuted a solo album, but is best known for being the co-frontman with Peter Doherty of the garage rock band The Libertines.-Early life:Carl Barât was...
of The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
. An early Libertines song, 'Lean as a Runner Bean', contains a line from the poem ("The hell where youth and laughter go"), and Doherty would later put music to the poem during a BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
interview. You can listen to this interpretation at Albion Arks.
Doherty and Barat also recited the poem, line by line, to each other at the NME Awards in 2004 upon collecting an award.
In 2009, Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
read the poem within the song "Army of the Damned", part of the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace is the first album by power metal band Pythia, released 12 October 2009. It was re-released on 23 February 2011 with alternative cover artwork and three bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
by the band Pythia
Pythia (band)
Pythia is a heavy metal band from London, England.Pythia is a group of classically and heavy-metal inspired musicians. Lead singer Emily Ovenden is also a member of the classical group the Mediaeval Baebes and Celtic Legend. Drummer Marc Dyos and guitarist Ross White are originally from the thrash...
.