The life that I have

A couple of months ago I read a riveting book called Between Silk and Cyanide. It was written by Leo Marks, who was the chief cryptographer of Special Operations Executive during the Second World War. His innovative contributions to SOE greatly enhanced cryptographic security. One of his minor tasks was writing original poems for agents in the field to use in transmitting messages to the home office. Marks included some of these poems in his book. This one in particular truly mesmerized me, and I've been meaning to post it ever since. It's believed that Marks wrote this poem about a girlfriend, Ruth Hambro, who was killed in an air crash in Canada. If it looks familiar, it's because Marc Mezvinsky recited it to Chelsea Clinton at their wedding yesterday.

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause

For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Leo Marks