Poetry by Herbert Corby and Mary Désiréé Anderson
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Defence of Albion (1942) Paul Nash , collection of the Imperial War Museum, London.
It's always a pleasure to find lesser known poetry from World War 2. Selecting two recent finds, both dealing with an almost Pagan view of the crops that are being cut relating to the sudden end to human life in wartime. Such death is not viewed as a martyrdom or a heroic fate, simply part of the natural order. And both writers survived World War 2 .
'Missing' Herbert Corby
the hares are suddenly homeless and afraid,
and aimless run the stubble with scare feet
finding no homes in sunlight or shade,
the crews are homes, have stretched and laughed and gone;
when the planes came and bright neon burned
the sun has ridden the sky and made the dawn,
waiting the last one in that won't come back,
and like those hares, he wanders round and round,
lost and desolate on the close-cropped ground.
Herbert Corby/ Herbert W Corby, (born 1911) had two poems published in magazines in 1937, and others in an anthology titled Best Poems of 1942. In 1945 his collection Hampdens Going Over, featuring some 53 poems about his service in the RAF as an armourer, then an instructor .The hampdens were the twin engine medium bombers used a great deal by the RAF. Another collection of Corby's poems, Time in a Blue Prison, appeared in 1947. Seems that he joined the Foreign Office after war service. Not sure of his date of death but his last collection of poetry was published in 1971. 'Missing' is most likely based on Corby's own experiences. Although the poem is written in the third person, it is most likely that Corby himself was confronted with the loss of pilots that he had trained during his RAF service. A similar poem by Corby is 'Lost', which ends with the lines
if you remember in your laugh and song
these boys who do not sing and laughed not long."
Now face the death of harvest, and their power
Through ruthless loss redouble their ability,
But here, the blackened dust of London shields,
with artificial pomp of bedded flowers,
The helpless shame of its outworn sterility,
When our bright masqueraders freeze and sicken,
We have no power to give them fresh fertility,
Thus, through the smiling scorn of this dread year,
We stand inert and see our comrades stricken
Our hands unarmed, ashamed of out futility,
At which the Reaper moves, like corn our pride
Bows its plumed head to dark humility,
Nor have we vision to discern some place
Where, from the furrowed grave of hopes that died,
Point the bright blades of immortality. "
Mary Désiréé Anderson (1902- 1973) , sometimes published as Mary D Anderson, was better known as a specialist in Medieval carving and Christian iconography. Was married to Sir Trenchard Cox, who knew her as Maisie.Was the author of several books on Medieval subjects most notably History and Imagery in British Churches which was re-published in 1995. Lived in London throughout the War, and her book British Women At War was published in 1941. 'Harvest' first appeared in what appears to be the only collection of her poetry -Bow Bells Are Silent- from 1943.
Anderson's poem is contrasts how frail all life is, helpless at the 'hideous pace' of wartime death. It is highly possible that the poem dates from 1940, the "dread year"which saw the rapid collapse of many European countries that Spring and Summer. And the understandable fear of German invasion. Probably a little too harrowing to be published at the time. Anne Powell's anthology Shadows of War- British Women's Poetry of the Second World War' contains three poems written by Mary Désiréé Anderson about 1940, taking in Dunkirk, the Blitz and war time classical music concerts at the National Gallery. All were to emerge later in Bow Bells Are Silent.
'Harvest' is taken from Chaos of the Night-Women's Poetry & Verse of the Second World War Selected by Catherine Reilly. (Virago Press, 1984).
ENDS
As ever, appreciate all the visitors to this Blog from all around the world.
Michael Bully
Brighton
11th July 2025
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