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  • When Will the War Be By?
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When Will the War Be By?

Charles Murray

“This year, neist year, sometime, never,”
A lanely lass, bringing hame the kye,
Pu’s at a floo’er wi’ a weary sigh,
An’ laich, laich, she is coontin’ ever
“This year, neist year, sometime, never,
When will the war be by?”

“Weel, wounded, missin’, deid,”
Is there nae news o’ oor lads ava?
Are they hale an’ fere that are hine awa’?
A lass raxed oot for the list, to read –
“Weel, wounded, missin’, deid “;
An’ the war was by for twa.

1916


Charles Murray

from Hamewith: collected poems (Alden, 2008)

Tags:

20th century poems Grief & Sorrow Scots the unknown waiting World War I
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Charles Murray1864 - 1941

Charles Murray was a skilled and popular poet who wrote in the pure Scots of his native Aberdeenshire, despite spending his working lifetime in South Africa.
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