The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul IntrigueMousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
History
The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul Intrigue
Mousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
Al Kut (Iraq) -- History -- Siege, 1915-1916; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, Turkish
Ah, those wings. I feel them already upon me. Like a
bird I feel also my capacity for flight. Wings that lie closely
to my shoulders, white pinions the outer ribs in stiff strong
rows, beside them smaller ones lighter than air, stronger than
steel, folding like a fan, opening like an umbrella, locked and
fast. Wings flinging arced shadows, wings with which to
issue some early morn from my window, to cleave the air, to
mount up, up, up above these mosques, the river, the town,
until Kastamuni shall appear a wee pattern of dusky patchwork
crossed by a silver thread and dotted with woolly smoke.
Wings to lift me so high that even that shall disappear--and
beyond the ranges will gleam the sea. Ah, the sea. How
I long for thee also. Since when have I walked within range
of thy tossing spray, thou sea skirting the crimson battlefields
of Europe. Thee would I follow until in the last light of even
I beheld once more "that isle set in a silver sea----"
Oh, for the wings of a dove. Far, far would I fly. Oh,
to be a dove. I, too, would stop to pluck an olive leaf, and
on it would scratch with my beak, _Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin_,
and then having reached Potsdam, would I drop it at the
Kaiser's feet as he strolls about the palace grounds of Sans-souci.
Sans-souci, forsooth!
Then would he not conquer the world any more, but wring
the necks of all his eagles.
And then on to other isles and scenes, whence the voices
are calling----
Oh, for the wings, those free white wings of a dove.
* * * * *
(4) A Prophecy as to the Fate of Turkey.
THE DEATH OF COCK TURKEY
(With apologies to Cock Robin)
"Who killed Cock Turkey?"
"I," said Bull Jack,
"With my usual knack--
I killed Cock Turkey."
"Who helped to do it?"
"I," said old Bruno,
"With my little U know--
I helped to do it."
"Who saw him die?"
"I," said her ally,
With perfectly dry eye--
"I saw him die."
"Who'll have his feathers?"
"I," said the Lion,
"With my usual try-on,
I'll have his feathers."
"Who'll dig his grave?"
"I," said the vulture,
An eagle plus culture--
"I'll dig his grave."
"Who'll grow on his grave?"
"I," said the Lily,
She spoke quite shrilly--
"I'll grow on his grave."
"Who'll write his epitaph?"
"I," said the Armenian,
With the help of the Athenian--
"I'll write his epitaph."
"Who's heir-apparent?"
"I," said Uncle Sam,
"I guess that I am
The heir-apparent."
"Who'll toll the knell?"
"I," said the Kangaroo,
"With the help of the Emu,
I'll toll the knell."
And the Things of the Earth danced in ecstasy--
When they heard of the death of the Cock Turkey--
When they heard of the death of the Cock Turkey.
PACIFIC BILLOW.
April, 1917.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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