<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">On the Moss: War Time. <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">LOUDLY, like the plash of blood </p><p class="line">In murder's ears that seek to close</p><p class="line">At night in thickets tenanted </p><p class="line">By the fear of God,</p><p class="line">Drip the berries of the guelder rose-</p><p class="line">More than with September red. </p><p class="line">And the rowans in the wood </p><p class="line">Are as ravaged maidenhood,</p><p class="line">Swaying, swaying overhead.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Through the rain upon the moss,</p><p class="line">Evening on disorient wings</p><p class="line">Falls from out disgodded skies, </p><p class="line">Falls as one who comes across</p><p class="line">An end of all the holier things.</p><p class="line">What was wealth to poor men's eyes, </p><p class="line">Day's last gold, has gone to dross. </p><p class="line">Darkness has a voice of loss</p><p class="line">Lonelier than owl-cries.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">In the peat pots looking down,</p><p class="line">One wet star on the black water</p><p class="line">Seems to watch if aught may swim </p><p class="line">Watch if aught may drown.</p><p class="line">And whether as with eyes of slaughter</p><p class="line">Or of tears, red and dim, </p><p class="line">Her rays put forth, may not be known, </p><p class="line">But by them a dead face is shown</p><p class="line">Christ's, as they murdered him.</p></div><p class="byline">John Helston".</p>(The <em>Poetry Review</em></body></html> · Great War