Auden’s ‘Let History Be My Judge’

By Scott Horton

We made all possible preparations,

Drew up a list of firms,

Constantly revised our calculations

And allotted the farms,

Issued all the orders expedient

In this kind of case:

Most, as we expected, were obedient,

Though there were murmurs, of course;

Chiefly against our exercising

Our old right to abuse:

Even some sort of attempt at rising,

But these were mere boys.

For never serious misgiving

Occurred to anyone,

Since there could be no question of living

If we did not win.

The generally accepted view teaches

That there was no excuse,

Though in the light of recent researches

Many would find the cause

In a not uncommon form of terror;

Others, still more astute,

Point to possibilities of error

At the very start.

As for ourselves there is left remaining

Our honour at last,

And a reasonable chance of retaining

Our faculties to the last.

–W.H. Auden, Let History Be My Judge (1928) in: Collected Poems pp. 34-35.