“These Fought in Any Case”
by Ezra Pound

These fought in any case,
and some believing
pro domo, in any case .....

Died some, pro patria*,
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.

*The famous line from one of Horace’s “Odes”:
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (“Sweet and fitting it is to die for one’s country.”)

http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/fight/fight.html