Suicide in Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon

Suicide in Trenches

by Siegfried Sassoon

I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.

In winter trenches, cowed and glum
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.

* * * * *

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.

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Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967) was a renowned English poet, writer, and soldier. He is best known for his powerful and satirical poetry about the horrors of World War I, in which he served. Born into a wealthy family, Sassoon attended Cambridge University before joining the British Army at the outbreak of the war in 1914.

During his military service, Sassoon witnessed firsthand the brutality and futility of trench warfare, experiences that greatly influenced his poetry. His works, such as “The Old Huntsman” and “Counter-Attack,” were critical of the war and the military leadership, often using irony and sarcasm to convey his messages.

In 1917, Sassoon made a controversial public statement against the continuation of the war, risking court-martial. He was eventually sent to a military psychiatric hospital, where he met and mentored fellow poet Wilfred Owen.

After the war, Sassoon continued to write, producing novels, memoirs, and biographies. He was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during the war and was also recognized for his significant contributions to literature. Sassoon’s wartime experiences and his literary works had a profound impact on the public perception of World War I and on the development of war poetry as a genre.