FOREWORD

For allowing this slight volume to see the light of day I have but one excuse to offer. The situation to which these verses are the emotional reaction represents a very real and serious piece of experience. It is no mere poetical exaggeration to say that in the first days of captivity at least, the writing of the sonnets was a labour that “stood between my soul and madness,” and I cannot help feeling that what, under one of the heaviest blows that can befall a soldier, has meant so much to me, may have in it something that will raise it at times above the personal to the level of general human interest.

It ought to be a pleasure to acknowledge generosity in an enemy; and I wish to express my [Pg vi]indebtedness to Captain Hohnholz, Commandant of the Prison-Camp at Hesepe, to whose kindness I owe it that I am able to offer the sonnets as they stand for publication.

Offizier—Gefangenenlager Hesepe, 17th August 1918

[Pg vii]

PROEM

Rastatt, 26th April 1918

[Pg ix]

SONNETS FROM A PRISON CAMP

[Pg 1]

IN THE FIELD

[Pg 3]

I

Rastatt, 27th April

[Pg 4]

II

Rastatt, 27th April

[Pg 5]

III

Rastatt, 27th April

[Pg 6]

IV

Rastatt, 28th April

[Pg 7]

V

Rastatt, 29th April

[Pg 8]

VI

Rastatt, 29th April

[Pg 9]