Anti War Poem - Ezra Pound

From the anthology Hugh Selwyn Mauberley(1920):

These fought, in any case,

some believing, pro domo, in any case.

Some quick to arm,
some for adventure,

some from fear of weakness,

some from fear of censure,

some for love of slaughter in imagination,

learning later . . .

some in fear, learning love of slaughter;

Died some "pro patria, non dulce non et decor"

walked eye-deep in hell

believing in old men's lies, then unbelieving

came home, home to a lie,

home to many deceits,

home to old lies and new infamy; 

usury age-old and age-thick 

and liars in public places.

Daring as never before, 

wastage as never before. 

Young blood and high blood, 

Fair cheeks, and fine bodies; 

fortitude as never before, 

frankness as never before,

disillusions as never told in the old days, 

hysterias, trench confessions,

laughter out of dead bellies.