The Chances

THE CHANCES by WILFRED OWEN

I 'mind as how the night before that show Us five got talkin'; we was in the know. 'Ah well,' says Jimmy, and he's seen some scrappin', 'There ain't no more than five things as can happen,--- You get knocked out; else wounded, bad or cushy; Scuppered; or nowt except you're feelin' mushy.'

One of us got the knock-out, blown to chops; One lad was hurt, like, losin' both his props; And one---to use the word of hypocrites--- Had the misfortune to be took by Fritz. Now me, I wasn't scratched, praise God Almighty, Though next time please I'll thank Him for a blighty. But poor old Jim, he's livin' and he's not; He reckoned he'd five chances, and he had: He's wounded, killed, and pris'ner, all the lot, The flamin' lot all rolled in one. Jim's mad.