We read our mail and counted up our missions —
In bombers named for girls, we burned
The cities we had learned about in school —
Till our lives wore out; our bodies lay among
The people we had killed and never seen.
When we lasted long enough they gave us medals;
When we died they said, "Our casualties were low."
They said, "Here are the maps"; we burned the cities.


"Losses," lines 21-28 - Losses (1948)

Randall Jarrell Quotes

We read our mail and counted up our missions — In bombers named for girls, we burned The cities we had learned about in school — Till our lives...

We read our mail and counted up our missions — In bombers named for girls, we burned The cities we had learned about in school — Till our lives...

We read our mail and counted up our missions — In bombers named for girls, we burned The cities we had learned about in school — Till our lives...

We read our mail and counted up our missions — In bombers named for girls, we burned The cities we had learned about in school — Till our lives...