Trench Duty by Siegfried Sassoon

 Video 

Text:

Shaken from sleep, and numbed and scarce awake,

Out in the trench with three hours’ watch to take,

I blunder through the splashing mirk; and then

Hear the gruff muttering voices of the men

Crouching in cabins candle-chinked with light.

Hark! There’s the big bombardment on our right

Rumbling and bumping; and the dark’s a glare

Of flickering horror in the sectors where

We raid the Boche; men waiting, stiff and chilled,

Or crawling on their bellies through the wire.

‘What? Stretcher-bearers wanted? Some one killed?’

Five minutes ago I heard a sniper fire:

Why did he do it? ... Starlight overhead—

Blank stars. I’m wide-awake; and some chap’s dead.

Meanings: 

Numbed: deprive of feeling or responsiveness.

Scarce:  (especially of food, money, or some other resource) insufficient for the demand.

Trench: a long, narrow ditch.

Blunder: a stupid or careless mistake.

 Splashing: cause (liquid) to strike or fall on something in irregular drops.

Mirk: darkness or thick mist that makes it difficult to see.

Gruff:  (of a voice) rough and low in pitch.

Muttering : a privately expressed complaint or expression of dissatisfaction.

Crouching : adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself.

Chinked:  make or cause to make a light, high-pitched ringing sound, as of glasses or coins striking together.

Hark : listen.

Bombardment: a continuous attack with bombs, shells, or other missiles.

Rumbling : a continuous deep, resonant sound.

Bumping:  knock or run into someone or something with a jolt.

Glare: stare in an angry or fierce way.

Flickering:  (of a flame or light) burning or shining unsteadily; wavering.

Raid: a rapid surprise attack on an enemy by troops, aircraft, or other armed forces.

Boche: a German, especially a soldier.

Stiff: not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid.

Chilled: (of food or drink) cooled in a refrigerator.

 Crawling: move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground.

Stretcher-bearer: a person who helps to carry the sick or injured on stretchers, especially in time of war or at the scene of an accident.

Chap: A chap is a guy or a fellow — a boy or man who's a friend, acquaintance, or a friendly stranger. You might ask a chap on the bus if the seat beside him is free. You can refer to any male person as a chap, and you can also address him that way: "Hello there, old chap!

Siegfried Sassoon