September 1, 1939/2010: To Love or Die
Posted by Wallace+
As the German Blitzkrieg rolled into Poland, and World War II began, on the morning of September 1, 1939, W.H. Auden sat in a New York City dive, writing the poem that would take for its name simply the date itself, "September 1, 1939."
In what would become one of the most-widely-known lines in all modern poetry, Auden wrote, "We must love one another or die."
As true now as ever.
We must love one another or die.
Lord, help us to love.
Help us to love.
Amen, amen.
Tags: poem, poetry, w.h. auden












