Lyr Req: The Man He Killed (Thomas Hardy)

Subject: Civil war poem?
From: MMario
Date: 25 Feb 00 - 09:22 PM

moved from another thread for exposure:

Subject: RE: Site for Poetry&Songs of the USCivil War
From: GUEST,Llewellyn
Date: 25-Feb-00 - 08:36 PM

Hi all, I was looking for a civil war poem which I thought was called something like "If we had met before" and is about a soldier who wonders what if he had met his enemy somewhere other than on the battlefield. I think it contains the line "I fired at him as he at me, and shot him in his place". Does anyone recognise it?

Subject: RE: Help: Civil war poem?
From: Greg F.
Date: 25 Feb 00 - 09:35 PM

Think what you're looking for is by Thomas Hardy:


CLICK HERE

Best, Greg

Subject: RE: Help: Civil war poem?
From: GUEST,Llewellyn
Date: 26 Feb 00 - 01:28 PM

Thanks Greg and MMario

Subject: RE: Help: Civil war poem?
From: Susan A-R
Date: 26 Feb 00 - 11:36 PM

Has anyone set this one to music? If not, it'd do well with some of that West Gallery-ish stuff that Harcy liked rather a lot.

Susan A-R

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAN HE KILLED (Thomas Hardy)
From: GUEST,Jules :-)
Date: 16 Feb 06 - 05:18 AM

The Man He Killed

    "Had he and I but met
      By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
      Right many a nipperkin!

    "But ranged as infantry,
      And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
      And killed him in his place.

    "I shot him dead because--
      Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
      That's clear enough; although

    "He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
      Off-hand like--just as I--
Was out of work--had sold his traps--
      No other reason why.

    "Yes; quaint and curious war is!
      You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
      Or help to half-a-crown."

        -- Thomas Hardy.

Subject: RE: Help: Civil war poem?
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 16 Feb 06 - 09:40 PM

It's not a Civil War song, but was written by the English poet Thomas Hardy about 1901 during the (Anglo-)Boer War.