Robert Graves

Nursery Memories

I.– THE FIRST FUNERAL          

 
(The first corpse I saw was on the
German wires, and couldn’t be buried)
 
The whole field was so smelly;
   We smelt the poor dog first:
His horrid swollen belly
   Looked just like going burst.
 
His fur was most untidy;
   He hadn’t any eyes.
It happened on Good Friday
   And there was lots of flies.
 
And then I felt the coldest
   I’d ever felt, and sick,
But Rose, ’cause she’s the oldest,
   Dared poke him with her stick.
 
He felt quite soft and horrid:
   The flies buzzed round his head
And settled on his forehead:
   Rose whispered: ‘That dog’s dead.
 
‘You bury all dead people,
   When they’re quite really dead,
Round churches with a steeple:
   Let’s bury this,’ Rose said.
 
‘And let’s put mint all round it
   To hide the nasty smell.’
I went to look and found it—
   Lots, growing near the well.
 
We poked him through the clover
   Into a hole, and then
We threw brown earth right over
   And said: ‘Poor dog, Amen!’
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