Looking for a poem I saw long ago

March 21, 2009 11:47 PM

Looking for an anti-war poem I saw years ago; it started with two soldiers fighting and ended speculating that if they met in a pub they'd have a pint.

I saw this poem in high school and can't remember who wrote it or anything else, but I liked the sentiment it expressed and would love to find it again.

The poem's overall message was anti-war; it was describing how these two folx were shooting at each other and ended by saying that if they met in a pub and a war wasn't on they'd have a companionable pint. I remember them using the word pub.

I think it was free verse, not rhymed. The only thing I'm certain about is that it ended by saying if they met in a pub they'd likely be friendly.

I don't think it's that esoteric, but trying to google for a poem with what I remember has gotten me nowhere on multiple attempts.

posted by caphector to Writing & Language (2 answers total)

Best answer: "the man he killed" by Thomas Hardy?

Yes; strange and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat, where any bar is,
Or help to half a crown.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:52 PM on March 21, 2009

Response by poster: That is it; how I managed to forget "nipperkin" was in it I'll never know.

And I was 100% wrong about it being "pub". Ah, well…many thanks.
posted by caphector at 11:56 PM on March 21, 2009