Peacefully

KINGSLEY AMIS

REGER, Max. German composer ... died I 1th May. 1916.

The second battle of Verdun had started Eight days earlier. Once.

My feeling would have been : Poor sod; Bad enoueh anyway, of course, But to be hauled off at that stage.

With friends lost, missing, under fire, And peace quite unimaginable, Must have been a good deal harder.

Whereas with old BR UCH, Max (1838-1920)—

Bad enough anyway, of course, But to be hauled off any time After the war. even though It had turned out against your country, Must have made it that much easier.

Perhaps. But when AMTS. Kingsley, Gets his last morning naners ('Shall I take them in to him.

then, doctor?' —ran't do any harm now, nurse.'). And sees Famine in Burma Spreading, Italian Civil War Escalates.,

Orford Rebellion: Many Dead,

I predict something different : Bloody good! That'll teach 'em!'

With luck, a eood ten thousand'll

Go before it's my turn—

Most of the bastards younger than me.

Bad enough anyway. of course, But that tiny sliver of hone

That some fool might dron the bomb

If not today. then next week

(And there's always the stun goine nova), Just might make a hit of difference—

Or at least distraction from picturing the scene

(Maueham, is it? Shaw? One of that lot) Where a chap looks up from the Tinter

and says, 'You saw old K ineslev's gone?'—'Christ!

hadn't heard he was ill.'—'No aee To speak of. was he?' And the whole crew Try to conceal their glee that this Time it still isn't them.

'Bad enough anyway, of course.

But one gathers he dropped off \ quite peacefully.'