<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">June, 1918</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">JUNE ! the joyous, sun-filled month of June</p><p class="line">When roses, emblems of a heaven, croon</p><p class="line">Strange melodies in garden and in hedge</p><p class="line">With blithesome birds that sing in emerald edge</p><p class="line">Of English lanes; and thousand other flow'rs</p><p class="line">As sweet drench incense on the air in show'rs--</p><p class="line">Intoxicating wine that gives fair dreams</p><p class="line">Of Palaces in Paradise, and streams</p><p class="line">Of visions far surpassing Kubla Khan !</p><p class="line">When cool sweet winds blow from the woods to fan</p><p class="line">Two lovers lying, kissing in the grass</p><p class="line">Where sun-lit waters glimpse and, laughing, pass.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">June ! a writhing, war-gorged month of hell</p><p class="line">When steel and iron and high explosive yell</p><p class="line">Cursed cacophonies in blasted plains,</p><p class="line">With singeing bullets singing in the lanes</p><p class="line">Of ripped France ; and poisonous vapours drench</p><p class="line">With death the air and earth--pocked with trench</p><p class="line">And gaping scar--so he who breathes them in</p><p class="line">Gulps strangling hands that clutch and tear at him,</p><p class="line">And vision sees of no cool Kubla Khan ;</p><p class="line">When rancid gusts from charnel tree-stumps fan</p><p class="line">Two soldiers, clutching, kissing in the grass;</p><p class="line">Whose souls leak out in spurting red, and pass!</p></div></body></html> · Great War