Study for a WW1 War Memorial, by Doug Sandle

Study for a WW1 War Memorial, by Michael Sandle R.A. (UK) 2007

Study for a WW1 War Memorial   

He shelters his eyes from the explosion,
or is it to swipe away tears, as dead-weight
his comrade falls onto his shoulder.
It was a necessary war, but some would argue
that it was badly led by those far away
from the suffering and dusty deaths
of the Pals from northern towns,
neighbours even, from streets and avenues
that will party beneath the bunting 
and the waving of flags, 
when victory day finally comes.
By Christmas, so they say.

Doug Sandle
 
Doug Sandle is a retired psychologist and university academic. A Manxman, he came to study at Leeds in the 1960s, founding and editing several arts and poetry publications. His then contribution to Leeds Poetry is acknowledged in the Poetry Archive website of Leeds University Library’s Special Poetry Collection. He had been published intermittently over the years, including sharing a poetry page with Harold  Pinter. More recently his poetry has  appeared twice in The New European and in an anthology of poetry, The View from Olympia on Olympic sports. He also writes plays and short stories.