SUICIDE IN THE TRENCHES

Siegfried Sassoon

1886-1967

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

1. Write down three things the soldier boy did (lines1-4).

• He grins at life

• Sleeps soundly through the night

• Whistles with the morning songbird

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.

2. What is the meaning of “cowed”?

• Sitting in fear,

3. What is the meaning of “glum”?

• Extremely unhappy

4. What is the meaning of “crumps”?

• Sound of exploding bomb

5. What else did the young soldier suffer from?

• Lice

• Lack of rum

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.

6. What is the meaning of “smug-faced”?

• Satisfied expression

7. What is war like for this poet?

• Hell