Escape
Robert Graves
August 6, 1916.Officer previously reported died of wounds, now reported wounded: Graves, Captain R., Royal Welch Fusiliers.)
but I was dead, an hour or more.
I woke when Id already passed the door
That Cerberus guards, and half-way down the road
To Lethe, as an old Greek signpost showed.
Above me, on my stretcher swinging by,
I saw new stars in the subterrene sky:
A Cross, a Rose in bloom, a Cage with bars,
And a barbed Arrow feathered in fine stars.
I felt the vapours of forgetfulness
Float in my nostrils. Oh, may Heaven bless
Dear Lady Proserpine, who saw me wake,
And, stooping over me, for Hennas sake
Cleared my poor buzzing head and sent me back
Breathless, with leaping heart along the track.
After me roared and clattered angry hosts
Of demons, heroes, and policeman-ghosts.
Life! life! I cant be dead! I wont be dead!
Damned if Ill die for any one! I said.
Cerberus stands and grins above me now,
Wearing three headslion, and lynx, and sow.
Quick, a revolver! But my Webleys gone,
Stolen! No bombs no knife. The crowd swarms on,
Bellows, hurls stones. Not even a honeyed sop
Nothing. Good Cerberus! Good dog! but stop!
Stay! A great luminous thought I do believe
Theres still some morphia that I bought on leave.
Then swiftly Cerberus wide mouths I cram
With army biscuit smeared with ration jam;
And sleep lurks in the luscious plum and apple.
He crunches, swallows, stiffens, seems to grapple
With the all-powerful poppy then a snore,
A crash; the beast blocks up the corridor
With monstrous hairy carcase, red and dun
Too late! for Ive sped through.
O Life! O Sun!
