A Letter from the Trenches 

By: Jenn Zellers 

Dear Mother, you may have heard things about the war 
that may trouble your heart, but do not feel ashamed at my loneliness. 
Though it may seem like my time here in France is chaotic, 
the time from the front has led to me something beautiful. 
Her name is Denise, like you, she has a bright shining spirit. 
The few hours I spent with her and her family seemed like the old days. 

The French have been shelling us for days. 
I despise this despicable, senseless war. 
Sweet mother, lift up your spirit, 
do not fear my loneliness, 
life will once again be beautiful. 
Do not let this war make your life chaotic. 

The trenches are at best chaotic 
and my men have not slept or eaten for many days. 
We liberated some stale bread from the French-it was beautiful. 
This allowed me, for at least a few hours, to forget the war. 
I know you feel a sense of loneliness 
on the farm but lift up your spirit. 

My dear friend Max has a troubled spirit. 
We have been through hell in this war, but it is the chaotic 
decisions of our demanding officers that leave us with a sense of loneliness 
in this war. I feel that their ways of waging war will weigh heavy on the days. 
Why must men to go to war 
over this land that is so beautiful. 

Mother. I must confess that this war is not beautiful. 
The papers back home tell us to not let our spirit 
be broken by the enemy and we will win this war. 
I pray that my boys never face these chaotic 
battles of endless days 
of loneliness 

A new sour sense of sickening loneliness, 
has fallen upon me. Death is indeed beautiful. 
My sweet friend Max ... His end of days-
his life had a new spirit. 
His life is no longer chaotic. 
No more for him is this despicable, senseless war. 

The battle of loneliness no longer troubles my spirit. 
My beautiful mother, I will leave these chaotic 
senseless and endless days next week and end my despicable, senseless war. 

The 2011 Analecta Page 97