PoemHunter.com   
Eighth Air Force by Randall Jarrell   
Participate in our survey Search:
Search Poems, Poets, Quotations and Lyrics   
Home Poets Poems Lyrics Quotations Music Forum Member Area Poetry E-Books
 
Randall Jarrell
#449
on top 500 Poets
Randall Jarrell
(May 6, 1914 – October 14, 1965 / Nashville)
25 poems of Randall Jarrell
click to download
Poet's Page  Biography  Poems  Quotations  Comments   Stats  
 
<< prev. poem Poems by Randall Jarrell : 8 / 27 next poem >>
  
  Eighth Air Force

User Rating:

5.8 /10
(28 votes)



  If, in an odd angle of the hutment,
A puppy laps the water from a can
Of flowers, and the drunk sergeant shaving
Whistles O Paradiso!--shall I say that man
Is not as men have said: a wolf to man?

The other murderers troop in yawning;
Three of them play Pitch, one sleeps, and one
Lies counting missions, lies there sweating
Till even his heart beats: One; One; One.
O murderers! . . . Still, this is how it's done:

This is a war . . . But since these play, before they die,
Like puppies with their puppy; since, a man,
I did as these have done, but did not die--
I will content the people as I can
And give up these to them: Behold the man!

I have suffered, in a dream, because of him,
Many things; for this last saviour, man,
I have lied as I lie now. But what is lying?
Men wash their hands, in blood, as best they can:
I find no fault in this just man.


Randall Jarrell

Submitted Date Monday, January 13, 2003



Read poems about / on: war, water, dream, people, sleep, flower

<< prev. poem Poems by Randall Jarrell : 8 / 27 next poem >>
 
  Comments about this poem (Eighth Air Force by Randall Jarrell )

There is no comment submitted by members..

 
PoemHunter.com Updates

02.16.2012/ Poem of The Day from a Member
'The Idea Of An Idea' by Salema Khatun

'Narrating the Arab Spring' Conference
Cairo University February 18-20 2012

02.16.2012/ Modern Poem of The Day
'Legend' by Harold Hart Crane

Happy Birthday Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov!
(1866–1949) Russian poet and playwright

02.15.2012/ Poem of The Day from a Member
'A Cloud Of Rain' by Jasbir Chatterjee

 
 
  Top 500 Poems

  1. Phenomenal Woman
    Maya Angelou
  2. Still I Rise
    Maya Angelou
  3. If You Forget Me
    Pablo Neruda
  4. Dreams
    Langston Hughes
  5. The Road Not Taken
    Robert Frost
  6. Annabel Lee
    Edgar Allan Poe
  7. I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You
    Pablo Neruda
  8. If
    Rudyard Kipling
  9. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
    Maya Angelou
  10. A Dream Within A Dream
    Edgar Allan Poe
The complete list of Top 500 Poems >>
 
 

(c) Poems are the property of their respective owners. All information has been reproduced here for educational and informational purposes to benefit site visitors, and is provided at no charge..  About Us | Copyright notice | Privacy statement | Help
2/17/2012 3:10:23 AM. #.# You Are Here: Eighth Air Force by Randall Jarrell

Home | Poets | Poems | Free Poetry eBooks | Contests | Sites | Submit a Poem | Manage Your Poems | Game Gar | Oyun | Contact Us

Christmas Poems | Love Poems | Pablo Neruda | Death Poems | Sad Poems | Birthday Poems | Wedding Poems | Nature Poems | Sorry Poems 

[Hata Bildir]