Page:Sassoon, Siegfried - Counter-Attack and Other Poems (1918).djvu/16

 became one of the leading young poets of England. The book begins with the long monologue of a retired huntsman, a piece of remarkable characterisation. It continues with all the best of the 'paradise' poems, including the loveliest in ' Discoveries ' and ' Morning Glory. ' There are also the 'bridge' poems between his old manner and his new such as the ' To Victory ' mentioned above. But interspersed among the paradise poems are the first poems in his final war style. He tells the story of the change in a characteristic manner—Conscripts (page 51, ' The Old Huntsman '). For like nearly every one of the young English poets, he is to some extent a humourist. His humour is not, however, even through 'The Old Huntsman' all of such a wise and gentle tenor. He breaks out into lively bitterness in such poems as ' They,' ' The Tombstone Maker ' and 'Blighters. '

"Fall in, that awkward squad, and strike no more
 * "Attractive attitudes! Dress by the right!

"The luminous rich colours that you wore
 * "Have changed to hueless khaki in the night.

"Magic? What's magic got to do with you? "There's no such thing! Blood's red and skies are blue."

They gasped and sweated, marching up and down.
 * I drilled them till they cursed my raucous shout.

Love chucked his lute away and dropped his crown.
 * Rhyme got sore heels and wanted to fall out.