At_Last

from Paul Verlaine [ Song of Autumn - first verse ]

Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automne Blessent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone

/ The long sobs of the violins of autumn \ \ Wound my heart with a monotonous languor. /

Editor's note: *********************************************** The 1944 BBC radio announcement, heard across France, that 'AutumnSong' would be read in an upcoming broadcast was a code to listen closely for a brief sample (the first line) in following announcements. If the reading reached the second line "Blessent mon coer...", the allied sea invasion of France had begun. Landings would occur within hours. French resistance was, by this signal, to immediately destroy rail lines, key roads, communications, and German targets. Invasion ! Normandy ! ***********************************************

McGuiness was secreted away, several years ago, in an American Legion hall basement. He befriended Dick Reilly, Capt. US ARMY Ret. whose own tales and whose death were the inspirations for a number of McGuiness poems. Except for the eulogy, these poems had been presented as gifts to his American friend and are dedicated to him (from McGuiness's own notes).

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