IN the shortest of his Elegies for the Dead in Cyrenaica, Hamish Henderson offers this unsentimental insight into the shared humanity of the soldiers of both sides caught up in the Second World War's North African campaign.

(His Collected Poems and Songs were issued by Curly Snake Publishing in 2000.)

NINTH ELEGY

Fort Capuzzo

For there will come a day

when the Lord will say

-- Close Order!

One evening, breaking a jeep journey at Capuzzo

I noticed a soldier as he entered the cemetery

and stood looking at the grave of a fallen enemy.

Then I understood the meaning of the hard word 'pietas'

(a word unfamiliar to the newsreel commentator

as well as to the pimp, the informer and the traitor).

His thought was like this. - Here's another 'Good Jerry'!

Poor mucker. Just eighteen. Must be hard-up for man-power.

Or else he volunteered, silly bastard. That's the fatal,

the-fatal mistake. Never volunteer for nothing.

I wonder how he died? Just as well it was him, though,

and not one of our chaps. . .Yes, the only good Jerry,

as they say, is your sort, chum.

Cheerio, you poor bastard.

Don't be late on parade when the Lord calls 'Close Order'.

Keep waiting for the angels. Keep listening for Reveille.