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But I was Looking at the Permanent Stars

From Wikisource
But I was Looking at the Permanent Stars
by Wilfred Owen

The poem was unfinished upon the author's death and therefore has omissions.

4926But I was Looking at the Permanent StarsWilfred Owen

Bugles sang, saddening the evening air,
And bugles answered, sorrowful to hear.

Voices of boys were by the river-side.
Sleep mothered them; and left the twilight sad.
The shadow of the morrow weighed on men.

Voices of old despondency resigned,
Bowed by the shadow of the morrow, slept.

( ) dying tone
Of receding voices that will not return.
The wailing of the high far-travelling shells
And the deep cursing of the provoking ( )

The monstrous anger of our taciturn guns.
The majesty of the insults of their mouths.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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