In Memoriam. By Ewart Alan Mackintosh FULL Audiobook
"In Memoriam" is a poignant and heartfelt poem by Ewart Alan Mackintosh, a Scottish poet who tragically lost his life during World War I. The poem reflects on the devastating impact of war, the loss of young lives, and the emotional toll it exacts on those left behind.

The poem begins with a direct address to a grieving father, who has lost his only son, David. The opening lines evoke a sense of loss and abandonment: "So you were David’s father, / And he was your only son." The imagery of "new-cut peats" rotting and work left undone underscores the emptiness and futility that death brings. The father's pain is palpable, captured in the lines: "Because of an old man weeping, / Just an old man in pain, / For David, his son David, / That will not come again."

The speaker, who is revealed to be David's officer, shares the burden of loss. He recalls the letters David wrote home, focusing not on the details of battle but on mundane scenes of sheep grazing on the hillside. These letters serve as a poignant reminder of the ordinary life that war disrupted. The officer's guilt weighs heavily: "And how you should get the crops in / Ere the year get stormier, / And the Bosches have got his body, / And I was his officer."

The poem shifts to the officer's perspective, revealing the depth of his anguish. He had fifty sons under his command, and he vividly recalls their cries for help and pity during battle. The contrast between the "helpless babies" and the "beautiful men brought low" highlights the tragedy of war. The officer's role as a leader becomes a heavy burden: "They could not see you dying, / And hold you while you died."

The final stanza encapsulates the heart-wrenching conflict faced by the officer. He acknowledges that the fathers of fallen soldiers mourned their first-born sons, but he, as their officer, witnessed their suffering firsthand. The poem ends with the haunting refrain: "But I was your officer."

"In Memoriam" captures the universal grief of war, emphasizing the personal losses and the emotional toll on those who bear witness. Mackintosh's elegy serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by young men during World War I and the lasting impact on their families and comrades. Through vivid imagery and raw emotion, the poem immortalizes the pain of loss and the weight of responsibility felt by those who led soldiers into battle.

: [Great War - In Memoriam by Ewart Alan Mackintosh]([ Ссылка ])
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More: World War I, Poetry, Remembrance
Soldiers, Loss, War
Commemoration, Tribute, Sacrifice
Lament, Grief, Memory
Honoring, Bravery, Legacy



00:00:00 In Memoriam - Read by ASB
00:02:04 In Memoriam - Read by CM
00:03:49 In Memoriam - Read by DCW
00:05:51 In Memoriam - Read by DL
00:07:54 In Memoriam - Read by DRB
00:10:02 In Memoriam - Read by GHS
00:12:02 In Memoriam - Read by KES
00:13:48 In Memoriam - Read by LAH
00:15:51 In Memoriam - Read by LLW
00:18:04 In Memoriam - Read by LMT
00:19:52 In Memoriam - Read by MGT
00:21:53 In Memoriam - Read by MHS
00:24:19 In Memoriam - Read by REF
00:26:29 In Memoriam - Read by RG
00:29:01 In Memoriam - Read by RN
00:31:34 In Memoriam - Read by SMP
00:33:43 In Memoriam - Read by TG
00:35:39 In Memoriam - Read by WT

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