Peter Halpin · 26 January 2000

This poem was written to allow resistance operators to transmit safely from France during the 2nd World War.It was given initially to Violet Szabo who worked for the resistance until her capture and eventual execution in Ravensbruck.

Bob Marshall · 16 February 2000

I saw Leo Marks recently on the BBC, he talked about this poem and it’s use by the resistance. I thought that he said the poem was written in memory of a sweetheart killed at an early age, whilst doing military service in Canada

Derek Smith · 1 May 2000

Recently discussed on BBC Radio.

Leo Marks wrote some 500 poems to be used as code cyphers, and kept them in a ‘ditty box’ - which he regrets disappeared.

This poem was given to Violette Szabo, and appears in a film about her resistance activities, called “Carve her name in stone”. I remember nothing of the film, other than the two powerful scenes - one where she is taught this poem, and the ending scene, her execution. (I believe the poem is read in a voice over, pull back, fade and credits).

Matthew Diamond · 17 July 2000

The film was ‘Carve Her Name With Pride’

In his book ‘Between Silk And Cyanide’ Leo Marks explains how he agreed for the poem to be used in the film so long as the author’s name wasn’t revealed.

MTRDOGS · 11 August 2000

The story behind the creation of this poem is detailed in Leo Marks’ book, “Between Silk and Cyamide: A Codemaker’s War, 1941-1945” Free Press. Mr. Marks at age 22 began working for the SOE and created secret codes for the agents dropped into Europe. This book take a bit of commitment to read, but the reader will be absorbed and rewarded.

CHARLESBORLASE · 13 September 2000

Leo Marks describes how this most beautiful poem came to be written in his book, “Between Silk and Cyanide”. This book is a “must read’ and amplifies what little knowledge we have of those incredibly brave people who fought the war as secret agents. Bravo, Mr. Marks, you’ve done them proud!

JAAB40 · 16 January 2001

There are some pieces of poetry which become, almost from the moment of their creation, immortal, unforgettable and somehow tightly wrapped around the very core of your being: this is such a poem.

James Rae

Lauren Turner · 26 March 2001

Bob Marshall was right, this poem was originally written for Leo Marks’ fianc=E9e, who died tragically in a plane crash. After he became involved in the SOE, he gave it to Violet Szabo to use as a code poem. Leo Marks has since remarried. I think this is probably one of the most simple yet heartfelt poems I have ever read.

Adrian Bracken · 13 April 2001

The interesting other connection (I believe) with Leo Marks, who wrote this poem, was that he was connected with the Bookshoop at 84 Charing Cross Road (owned by his father?) that featured in the exchange of letters between the bookshop and Helene Hanff. This became a book and latterly a play and film.

Ann Wellden · 22 April 2001

Since first hearing this poem in the film “Carve her name with pride” quite a few years ago I have never forgotten it. I have always been curious as to the author and was surprised and pleased to find this information on the web. I was more surprised to find the author’s name, as Marks was my maiden name. I shall go to the Library to find more books/poems by Leo Marks.
Direct Line:Fax:

Bassia Bannister · 15 September 2001

James Rae is absolutely right. I heard this poem as a voice-over-melody, maybe taken from the film, I don’t know. But the very first time I heard it way back in the early seventies it seemed to penetrate right through into my innermost being. It always speaks to me of a sorrow beyond all knowing and a truth beyond all understanding. For me it breathes the very rhythm of all that is eternal and in this way, perhaps, it transcends its own self. There are many poems I love but there is none that has ever affected me so profoundly as this code-poem has.

Garry Bannister

James Ingram · 4 November 2001

To clarify some of the comments on “The Life That I Have”, having just re-read “Between Silk and Cyanide” for the 4th or 5th time…

* Leo Marks composed this in 1943, for his fiancee who was (as stated) killed just before Chrsitmas 1943 in an plane crash while training in Canada. She was a God-daughter of Charles Hambro, one of his superiors.
* “Between Silk and Cynaide” is a “must-read”, and requires no “commitment” as one person stated. On the contrary, is is a joy to read and unputdownable! Everyone to whom I has has lent the book now have their own copies (they didn’t even nick my copy!). How many books can you say that about? IMHO it’s the best book I bought in a decade - as simple as that!
* Yes, his father owned 84 Charing Cross Road, and Freud visited several times, researching his book on Moses.
* Marks wrote the film script for “Peeping Tom”, which has since been hailed as a classic (but was withdrawn at the time because it was criticised as being deviant - it also halted the career of the director Michael Powell for 14 or so years.
* He was also the voice of Satan in “Last Temptation of Christ”
* He was divorced in 2000, shortly before he died in 2001
* The poem featured was only given to Violet Szabo (not just initialliy) as agents were not allowed to use the same poem or text as any other agent had ever used.

Another poem featured in Marks’ book goes:
Is De Gaulle’s prick
Twelve inches thick?
Can it rise
To the size
Of a proud flag-pole?
And does the sun shine
From his arse-hole?

It was written by a group of FANYs who were asked to create poety, and somehow I doubt it’ll find it’s way onto your pages, but it may give you a smile. Marks’ comments were: “the imagary was unusual, the words easy to memorise, and the content not at all what the enemy would be expecting. I asked him to tell the girls I was absolutely delighted with it and looked forward to receiving the rest.”

Quite.

Hope this is interesting to you.

James Ingram
(yes, that IS my real name, no I don’t sing and I can’t put you in touch with any record companies, but feel free to send me money)

Robert Wyer · 19 March 2002

Poignant, emotive, wonderful.

Steve Mauro · 1 April 2002

please critique my work from a thanksgiving 2000 journey to ft de nogent #14201: ( many before my time have sought to join the foreign legion ..and for a brief moment the only thought was how I never cheated anyone other than death ).

I Cheat Death

Amidst the anachronist..
Fort de Nogent stands.
Vacant only to the legionnaire..
Beau geste erands.

The sculpted figure in kepi blue,
Enter through the electric iron gate.
Render your passport Marine ancienne..
The age board shall debate.

Alone behind thick stone walls…
hard tables and no windows.
Cold as a dirge..the only words…
I cheated death.

Steve Mauro · 13 May 2002

thanks for posting my poem..I Cheat Death…the theme of your online site is in itself anachronistic as there are few if any today whom carry the discipline of the french resistance..we can only hope history is learned and not repeated.

Dreameraton · 24 June 2002

I remember this poem in the film Carve Her Name With Pride. I was struck by its simplicity and of the beauty in its sadness as it promises eternal love. It may have been used as a code but the essence is of an experience lived.

Ann Martin · 3 July 2002

Violet Szabo couldn’t memorise the poem she was given, try as she might, and asked to be given another one. Marks gave her this one which she loved and memorised quickly. By altering words and their place in the lines when she transmitted home they knew certain things about her mission. They knew by the last transmission that she was about to be arrested.

Joss Carter · 12 December 2002

Leo Marks’ abilities were remarkable and the poem “The life that I have…” is beautiful - the irony being that he knew that the act of using this , although not as dangerous as the faar better known works which agents were allowed to use was still extreme and in fact would almost certainly result in detection by the Germans because poem codes were so easy to break. Mr Marks’ book was quite delightful and the thing which I find frustrating is that it is almost impossible to find out anything about his life after SOE. I was sorry to hear of his divorce and his death. The world is a poorer place without him. Violette Szabo has always saddened me because I do not think that she ever recovered from the death of her husband and in a way almost embraced her fate when she and her organiser Phillipe Liewer were confronted. It was brave of her to give covering fire which allowed him to escape. It would have been better had she reacted in a rather more low-key manner which might have resulted in her surviving. But I am not sure that this was what she wanted - like many women who were given an unique opportunity to act in an “unfeminine” way by the circumstances of war, I think that she would have found the dullness of peace hard to endure. Christine Granville was another such, as was Eliane Plewman who had the amazing courage to hint to her German interrogator that if taken out for a good dinner, she might be amenable to telling him more about the circuit (Monk) in which she was employed and who, having eaten the dinner calmly announced that she had changed her mind. They don’t make them like that any more. Let us hope that we have learned the lessons of history well enough not to make the deaths of such brave women necessary in the future. Joss Carter

Frances Black · 25 October 2003

I saw the Movie version of Violet’s life.I was too young to fully understand the more subtle ramifications of the poem,but I did memorize as I thought it was beautiful.I of course got the some of the words wrong. I thought she was very brave.
Who played her in the film?Was it Simone Signoret? Regards.
Frances Black

A Code Poem For The French Resistance

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

Steve Clarke · 29 October 2003

Such a beautiful poem.

I visited the Imperial War Museum, London today 29.10.03 and read this poem there.

Having lost my mother just 10 weeks ago the words made very poignant reading.

Mandy Clarke

Maureen · 13 May 2004

I think you will find this poem was used by the BBC commentator at the funeral of Princess Diana. If I’m not mistaken he said it as the coffin was being loaded onto the hearse before it’s journey back to Altrop. A very moving moment and the poem stuck with me ever since. I am so pleased to have found a little more about it.

Don Piears · 16 October 2004

I am due to minister at a funeral service where this poem is to be read at the committal, I am so grateful to all those who have added their comments, but especially to James. I shall be using his comments (in precis) to encourage the mourning family. I shall probably leave out the ditty about Charles DeGaulle, in case there are any French people in the congregation. Thanks again.

Elaine Andrews · 18 November 2004

This poem is beautiful, my late Mother ~ Catherine Maria Andrews ~ first heard it on BBC GMR in June 2003 and it moved her so much she called me to tell me about it. Without having the words of the poem to recite it too me, I could not at that time understand the true wonder and nature of the poem. My Mother died rather suddenly two months ago 12th September 2004 and whilst clearing her out her home we found a copy of the poem ‘The life that I have’ which I knew she had obtained from the radio station as she had loved it so much. Reading the words from the poem bring me instant comfort every time, I do find a certain peace with the message in the poem ~ it is very serene. I must commend Leo Marks for his beautiful ability to transcend such feeling into words.

Elaine Andrews.

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Garry Bannister · 21 December 2004

Poems

Howard Lawn

Other works

Criticisms

Favorite Links

Howard Lawn’s Site

Amazingly this translation into Gaelic came to me in a dream. Or should I say, when I woke up, the words were sitting bolt upright in my conscious mind like suitcases left behind after a visit that cannot be remembered or like that feeling of having lived an entire life after hearing a few lines of music.

This code poem by Leo Marks is, in my opinion, the greatest poem ever written. It was on hearing it as a child made me decide to become a poet. How could so few words change the whole universe the way this poem does?

Howard Lawn

Code Poem
by Leo Marks

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,

Translation by H. Lawn

An bheatha agàm - sin uile agàm,
Agus chugatsa, chugatsa é.
An grá ‘tá agàm den bheatha agàm,
Chugatsa, chugatsa é.

Beidh codladh agàm,
Sos suain agàm,
Ach níl sa bhás ach ré,
Suaimhneas saoil dem chodladh san fhéar, Chugatsa, chugatsa é.

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Patricia Newbold · 13 February 2005

what a great peom it makes you think how many loved it, it took me all weekend tracking it down but it was well worth it thanks for the information . Pat

Garry Bannister · 22 February 2005

Sorry,

When I was downloading a a translation of Leo Marks poem [197] a whole wad of rubbish came down with it. Perhaps you have a way of deleting all the garbage after the translation into Gaelic. My apologies for spoiling this magnificent site which I really enjoy reading from time to time.

Cheers,

Garry Bannister.

Linda Geeson · 31 July 2005

I find the poem stirs all kinds of emotion in me, it is a truly beautiful poem and my favourite.

Linda Doncaster

Lin Hawkins · 19 December 2005

One drunkem night with my Dad he reminded me of this poem. He recited it to me and I know it meant alot to him. Carve her name with Pride was his favourite film and I remember watching it with him when I was little. When he died my brother read it out at the funeral and I knew my Dad would have been pleased. Last week a good friend died suddenly and I was reminded of losing Dad and the poem. Tonight I found this site and have read the poem again. It has got to be the most comforting poem ever written when you have lost someone. Marks continues to bring a sense of peace to us today and probably for evermore. Also we should take time to remember women like Violet and Leo Mark’s poem ensures she will not be forgotten. Lin

Peter McBride · 30 January 2006

I have read much about the SOE and Mr Marks and Violette Szabo and the poem has a big part in my life. Sadly it is strongly rumoured that it was not written by him, not given to Violette, but was written specifically for the film which is why the use of the poem was approved but without identification of the authorship.

Even if true it will not detract from its beauty for me.

Peter

murali · 7 June 2006

Truly inspirational, evocative…brought tears to my eyes, making me interpret it to fit my own life and love.

Murali Raman

Ber nard shaw · 19 April 2008

She was played by Viginia McKenna in the film.

Why use the word ‘executed’ when ‘murdered’ would be more accurate?