Ivor Gurney

Gloucester classical composer and poet. 1890-1937.

Audio by Ian Partridge,Tenor and taken from Ivor Gurney - Author, Composer, Soldier-of-a-sort

The Silent One

Who died on the wires, and hung there, one of two -
Who for his hours of life had chattered through
Infinite lovely chatter of Bucks accent:
Yet faced unbroken wires; stepped over, and went
A noble fool, faithful to his stripes - and ended.
But I weak, hungry, and willing only for the chance
Of line - to fight in the line, lay down under unbroken
Wires, and saw the flashes and kept unshaken,
Till the politest voice - a finicking accent, said:
‘Do you think you might crawl through there: there's a hole.'
Darkness, shot at: I smiled, as politely replied -
‘I'm afraid not, Sir.' There was no hole no way to be seen
Nothing but chance of death, after tearing of clothes.
Kept flat, and watched the darkness, hearing bullets whizzing -
And thought of music - and swore deep heart's oaths
(Polite to God) and retreated and came on again,
Again retreated - a second time faced the screen.

More of his WW1 poems (from the 120 war Poems site)

To England - A Note
To His Love

Ivor Gurney has a window dedicated to him in St Mary de Lode Church, and his headstone is in Twigworth Church.

Wikkipedia page
Ivor Gurney Society

EVENT - Ivor Gurney conference in September 2007

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