February 2013 |
Unpublished A. E. Housman Poem Coming Up to Auction
![220px-Alfred_Edward_Housman.jpeg](https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine_books_blog/assets_c/2013/02/220px-Alfred_Edward_Housman-thumb-300x398-4848.jpeg)
Housman never recovered from the blow.
The poem - faintly written in pencil with clear attempts to erase it - passed into the keeping of Housman's brother after his death in 1936. Housman's brother debated destroying the poem, but was advised to keep it by Alfred Pollard, a friend of Housman's from his Oxford days.
The poem is estimated by Bonham's to reach £25,000 at auction.
"Oh were he and I together"
Oh were he and I together
Shipmates on the fleeted main,
Sailing through the summer weather
To the spoil of France or Spain.
Oh were he and I together,
Locking hands and taking leave,
Low upon the trampled heather
In the battle lost at eve.
Now are he and I asunder
And asunder to remain;
Kingdoms are for others' plunder,
And content for other slain.
![](http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=ac6b63c1-6d1f-4969-8d68-079b8e3e799f)