 | Poems (1931) |  |
30
ODIHAM
Put his head
and anxious face
out of a car.
Seemed to have said:
Yell's the name
of this place;
seven, three, four.
and anxious face
out of a car.
Seemed to have said:
Yell's the name
of this place;
seven, three, four.
Man addressed
tried to evince
interest,
as often before
and often since.
Said the name
of where they were
was Odiham.
Delighted, sir.
tried to evince
interest,
as often before
and often since.
Said the name
of where they were
was Odiham.
Delighted, sir.
Fat, pale chap
seemed dissatisfied;
snatched a map
from those inside.
Engine tried
as much as it could
to drown the voices
with throbbing noises.
Man understood
him to say:
We know the way
to the south of France;
but Brodenham
is not in Hants;
we almost came
this way instead.
seemed dissatisfied;
snatched a map
from those inside.
Engine tried
as much as it could
to drown the voices
31
Man understood
him to say:
We know the way
to the south of France;
but Brodenham
is not in Hants;
we almost came
this way instead.
He said: I said
Odiham.
Odium: hatred.
Odi: I hate.
ham: ham.
A ridiculous name
in that point of view.
Odiham.
Odium: hatred.
Odi: I hate.
ham: ham.
A ridiculous name
in that point of view.
He said: Are you
then a Jew?
then a Jew?
He said: No.
He said: Oh;
I thought I'd like to know;
but I can't wait.
I thought I'd like to know;
but I can't wait.
| Poems (1931) | |