Keith Douglas "Dotards" WW2 Poem

Dotard is a word meaning "Lunatic"...for a person who's mind has been destroyed by the dreadfulness of the events that they have witnessed....It appears therefore that in this poem second world war poet Keith Douglas (1920 - 1944) was discussing the horrors of shell shock through the eyes of a dotard so traumatised that there is no awakening them from their vacancy of mind...The first world war poet Wilfred Owen touched upon this theme in a similar fashion in his poem "Mental cases"....

Regards.

Jim Clark... All rights are reserved on this video sound recording copyright Jim Clark 2013

Dotards

Dotards do not think but slowly slowly turn eyes that have seen too much expecting the soft touch of fate who cannot burn but is a last drink a night drink, an opiate and almost comes too late.

I who could feel pain a month,a month ago and pleasure for my mind and other pleasure find like any dotard now am wearily sat down a dull man, a prisoner in a dull chamber.

You who richly live look at me, look at me; stirred to talk with you I speak a word or two like an effigy what answer will you give? Can you wake the drugged man I wonder if you can.