Shell Shock

Shell shock is reaction to overwhelming terror producing helplessness, flight, or inability to reason, sleep, walk or talk. By the end of World War One the British Army dealt with 80,000 cases of shell shock, Including poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. Soldier cowering Overwhelmed, terrified Weeping, body trembling Hearing a scream None but he can hear. No longer able to fight Desperate fleeing slaughter Cannot stop weeping Tries to stand, remains in the mud Mind refusing to obey. Mind protecting the body Preventing the soldier Fighting and killing Trapping him in terror Struggling for sanity in an asylum.