H.D.: a reminiscence

(okay, so this is a spoof — I don't write like this, but googling Max Gate should tell you who did. Then work out what the more familiar version of HD's story is called.)

I

I sat on the wall looking out -
Ah! Thirty years ago!
O'er man-unweeting worms which crawled
Through moss-marauded lawns, where sprawled
The sun-bespeckled shadows of an oak:
A giant, as yet time-unstunted tree.
Ah! Thirty years ago!

II

Well: while on that wall I sat out -
Ah! Thirty years ago!
Across the meads a soldier called
To comrades, who, Spring-merry, brawled
Or boozed. 'Oy! Who's that March-mad perching bloke
Atop yon weathered wall?' They turned to see,
Ah! Thirty years ago!

III

Surprised - as the soldier his shout
(Ah! Thirty years ago!)
He with unwoeworn wonder bawled -
I fell, grip-gone, fetching appalled
And pain-bewracked below. A lone cloud's cloak
Of grey soon hid the sun. Rain dripped on me.
Ah! Thirty years ago!

IV

The soldiers then gathered about,
Ah! Thirty years ago!
One, hope-bereft, head-shaking, drawled;
As cold rain fell from the cloud that shawled
The dying sun, he leaned against the oak,
And: 'Sorry mate. Can't help you,' said to me.
Ah! Thirty years ago!

V

With that the young soldiers went out -
Ah! Thirty years ago!
And still I haunt that garden walled,
By thirty Novembers mugged and mauled;
Cursing the worm-forsaken lawns which broke
My back, beneath the now storm-stunted tree,
Ah! Thirty years ago!

Max Gate, October 8, 1994