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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=357449" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Before the War</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Before the war,' she sighs. 'Before the war.'<br>Then blinks 'er eyes, an' tries to work a smile.<br>'Ole scenes,' she sez, 'don't look the same no more.<br>Ole ways,' she sez, 'seems to 'ave changed their style.<br>The pleasures that we had don't seem worth while <br>Them simple joys that passed an hour away <br>An' troubles, that we used to so revile,<br>'Ow small they look', she sez. ''Ow small today.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'This war!' sighs ole Mar Flood. An' when I seen<br>The ole girl sittin' in our parlour there,<br>Tellin' 'er troubles to my wife Doreen.<br>As though the talkin' eased 'er load 'uv care,<br>I thinks uv mothers, 'ere and everywhere,<br>Smilin' a bit while they are grievin' sore<br>For grown-up babies, fightin' Over There;<br>An' then I 'ears 'em sigh, 'Before the war.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">My wife 'as took the social 'abit bad.<br>I ain't averse - one more new word I've learned <br>Averse to tea, when tea is to be 'ad;<br>An' when it comes I reckon that it's earned.<br>It's jist a drink, as fur as I'm concerned,<br>Good for a bloke that toilin' on the land;<br>But when a caller comes, 'ere am I turned<br>Into a social butterfly, off-'and. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Then drinkin' tea becomes a 'oly rite.<br>So's I won't bring the family to disgrace<br>I guts a bit 'uv coachin' overnight<br>On ridin' winners in this bun-fed race.<br>I 'ave to change me shirt, an' wash me face,<br>An' look reel neat, from me waist up at least,<br>An sling remarks in at the proper place,<br>An' not makes noises drinkin', like a beast.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">''Ave some more cake. Another slice, now do.<br>An' won't yeh 'ave a second cup uv tea?<br>'Ow is the children?' Ar, it makes me blue!<br>This boodoor 'abit ain't no good to me.<br>I likes to take me tucker plain an' free:<br>Tea an' a chunk out on the job for choice,<br>So I can stoke with no one there to see.<br>Besides, I 'aven't got no comp'ny voice.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Uv course, I've 'ad it all out with the wife.<br>I argues that there's work that must be done.<br>An' tells 'er that I 'ates this tony life.<br>She sez there's jooties that we must not shun.<br>You bet that ends it; so I joins the fun,<br>An' puts 'em all at ease with silly grins <br>Slings bits uv repartee like ''Ave a bun,'<br>An' passes bread an' butter, for my sins.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Since I've been marri'd, say, I've chucked some things,<br>An' learned a whole lot more to fill the space.<br>I've slung all slang; crook words 'ave taken wings,<br>An' I 'ave learned to entertain with grace.<br>But when ole Missus Flood comes round our place<br>I don't object to 'er, for all 'er sighs;<br>Becos I likes 'er ways, I likes 'er face,<br>An', most uv all, she 'as them mother's eyes.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Before the war,' she sighs, the poor ole girl.<br>'Er talk it gets me thinkin' in between,<br>While I'm assistin' at this social whirl. . . .<br>She comes across for comfort to Doreen,<br>To talk about the things that might 'ave been<br>If Syd 'ad not been killed at Suvla Bay,<br>Or Jim had not done a bunk at seventeen,<br>An' not been heard uv since 'e went away.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">They 'ave a little farm right next to us <br>'Er and 'er husband - where they live alone.<br>Spite uv 'er cares, she ain't the sort to fuss<br>Or serve up sudden tears an' sob an' moan,<br>An' since I've known 'er some'ow I 'ave grown<br>To see in 'er, an' all the grief she's bore,<br>A million brave ole mothers 'oo 'ave known<br>Deep sorrer since them days before the war.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Before the war,' she sez. 'Yeh mind our Syd?<br>Poor lad. . . . But then, yeh never met young Jim <br>'Im 'oo was charged with things 'e never did.<br>Ah, both uv you'd 'ave been reel chums with 'im.<br>'Igh-spirited 'e was, a perfect limb.<br>It's six long years now since 'e went away <br>Ay, drove away.' 'Er poor ole eyes git dim.<br>'That was,' she sighs, 'that was me blackest day.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Me blackest day! Wot am I sayin' now?<br>That was the day the parson came to tell<br>The news about our Syd. . . . An', yet, some'ow . . . .<br>My little Jim!' She pauses for a spell. . . .<br>'Your 'olly'ocks is doin' reely well,'<br>She sez, an' battles 'ard to brighten up.<br>'An' them there pinks uv yours, 'ow sweet they smell.<br>An' - Thanks! I think I will 'ave one more cup.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">As fur as I can get the strength uv it,<br>Them Floods 'ave 'ad a reel tough row to how.<br>First off, young Jim, 'oo plays it high a bit,<br>Narks the ole man a treat, an' slings the show.<br>The come the war, an' Syd 'e 'as to go.<br>'E run 'is final up at Suvla Bay <br>One uv the Aussies I was proud to know.<br>An' Jim's cracked 'ardy since 'e went away.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Er Jim! These mothers! Lord, they're all the same.<br>I wonders if Doreen will be that kind.<br>Syd was the son 'oo played the reel man's game;<br>But Jim 'oo sloped an' left no word be'ind,<br>His is the picter shinin' in 'er mind.<br>'Igh-spirited! I've 'eard that tale before.<br>I sometimes think she'd take it rather kind<br>To 'ear that 'is 'igh spirits run to war.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Before the war,' she sez. 'Ah, times was good.<br>The little farm out there, an' jist us four<br>Workin' to make a decent liveli'ood.<br>Our Syd an' Jim! . . . Poor Jim! I grieves me sore;<br>For Dad won't 'ave 'im mentioned 'ome no more.<br>'E's 'urt, I know, cos 'e thinks Jim 'urt me.<br>As if 'e could, the bonny boy I bore. . . .<br>But I must off 'ome now, an' git Dad's tea.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">I seen 'er to the gate. (Take it frum me,<br>I'm some perlite.) She sez, 'Yeh mustn't mind<br>Me talkin' uv Jim, but when I see <br>Your face it brings 'im back; 'e's jist your kind.<br>Not quite so 'an'some, p'r'aps, nor so refined.<br>I've got some toys uv 'is,' she sez. 'But there <br>This is ole woman's talk, an' you be'ind<br>With all yer work, an' little time to spare.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">She gives me 'and a squeeze an' turns away,<br>Sobbin', I thort; but then she looks be'ind,<br>Smilin', an' wavin', like she felt reel gay,<br>I wonders 'ow the women work that blind,<br>An' jist waves back; then goes inside to find<br>A lookin'-glass, an' takes a reel good look. . . . <br>''Not quite so 'an'some, p'r'aps, nor so refined!'<br>Gawd 'elp yeh, Jim,' I thinks. 'Yeh must be crook.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Clarence+Michael+James+Stanislaus+Dennis">Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=357449" data-title="Before the War de Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis" data-description="'Before the war,' she sighs. 'Before the war.'
Then blinks 'er eyes, an' tries to work a smile.
'Ole scenes,' she sez, 'don't look the same no more.
Ole ways,' she sez, 'seems to 'ave changed their style.
The pleasures that we had don't seem worth..."></div>
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