In 1916 during the Battle of Verdun, Franz Marc was killed by a shell splinter in the head. He was thirty six.
After the guns
silence of the wounded earth
sound of tears falling.
Dream of horses
galloping hills of green light
peace falls.
The dark will come
the agony of all things
on this murdered earth
Wonderful words and artwork!
Thank you, Peter. He’s one of my favourite painters, for his work and his ideology.
Oh, gosh–I didn’t remember this about Franz Marc. It puts a whole new perspective on the blue horses (for me). Sad, beautiful poem.
The last painting, The Fate of the Animals is one he painted in 1913. He was horrified by how premonitory it became.
Wow. It’s like the war poets in art.
He saw it all through the eyes of animals.
He did. I love his work.
Me too 🙂
Beautifully written. Incredible loss during this war. Owen was another.
Thanks. Heartbreaking. Millions and for absolutely nothing, to satisfy the bloodlust of a load of aging generals.
I’ve just come back from lighting the beacon. So glad it was all about not letting the lives lost be forgotten and learning from it so that we have peace for the future.
I think we are (in some parts of the world) getting more cynical about the motivations of our leaders. Perhaps we wouldn’t flock to the banners like sheep to the slaughter another time.
I agree.
🙂
Wonderful woven around the artwork. Well done, Jane! Hope you had a nice weekend, and wish you a great start into a new, sunny week. Michael
I’ll try, Michael. Thanks!
:-))
Very well done Jane!
Thanks Dwight 🙂
Perfect 💜
🙂
💜
Evocative, dark, luminous. Scots, Irish, Brits had the Somme, Les Poilus had Verdun. My great grand father was at the latter, as a stretcher-bearer…
They all had far too much of it. I think my great-grandmother had a brother who lost an arm on the Somme. They never talked about it. Great grandad’s brother in law was called up when he was already a father of four small children. The machine was hungry.