The Life That I Have is one of my favourite poems. It was written by Leo Marks for his girlfriend, Ruth Hambro, who was killed in an air crash during WW2.  Marks, who was a Special Operations Executive (SOE) at the time, later used the poem as a cipher for coded communications with SOE agent Violette Szabo. Agent Szabo was sent to France during the war to help the Resistance. She never came back.

The Life That I Have has a raw directness to it.  Its short words, simple rhythm, and growing repetitions create a hauntingly beautiful combination that is simply spellbinding.

The Life That I Have

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Leo Marks

THE TAILOR (a 55-word story)


The young war widow hid him, mending his broken leg.

He’d been a tailor, and he made her lingerie with his parachute’s silk.

“It’s perfect! How did you know my size?”

“My eyes traced your curves a thousand times.”

“Shut them!”

He did.

On his chest, her slender finger spelled three words:

“YOU ARE MINE.”



Alberico Collina

THE PLEDGE (a 55-word story)


Two brothers: fascist Pietro and partisan Paolo.

Both loved Vittoria, the seamstress.

At war’s end, local fascists and partisans kept fighting.

Their mothers asked Vittoria for help.

She spoke to both brothers.

And fighting stopped.

After the truce, Vittoria honoured her pledge.

She spent one day with Paolo, the next with Pietro.

Until her death.



Alberico Collina

REMEMBER ME (a 55-word story)


She reread his last letter from the War Front:

“If I don’t return,

remarry,

live for both of us.

Don’t cry for me.

I’ll be somewhere beyond pain and fear.

And I’ll be near.

Remember me.”

A man was crossing a field towards her.

No one walked like Aldo.

Even the earth welcomed his steps.


Alberico Collina

NOT SO SIMPLE (a 55-word story)


“Look Helen, let’s just a make a run for it.”

“You don’t understand; I can’t just leave my husband.”

“Why not?”

“You make it sound so simple, but it’s not.”

“What’s worrying you?”

“Well, what if he and his buddies come after us?”

 “We’ll be safe, don’t you worry.”

“But where would we go?”

“Troy.”


Alberico Collina