Through a Glass, Darkly (poem)
Poem by George Patton / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Through a Glass, Darkly" is a poem by American general George S. Patton, which explores Patton's strong beliefs in Christianity and reincarnation through stories of his previous lives and deaths in combat during historic battles.[1] Patton questions whether he may have participated in the Crucifixion of Jesus, imagines previous lives as a hunter-gatherer in search of mammoth, and explores historic battles, including the Greco-Persian Wars (499–449 BC), Siege of Tyre (332 BC), Roman–Parthian Wars (54 BC – 217 AD), Battle of Crécy (1346), and Battle of Waterloo (1815).[2] He concludes that he is an instrument of God eternally betrothed to combat. The title of the poem is the first words of 1 Corinthians 13:12.[3]
Through a Glass, Darkly | |
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by George S. Patton | |
Written | 16 September 1922 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Rhyme scheme | XAXA |
Lines | 96 |
The poem explicates Patton's theory that "one is reincarnated…with certain traits and tendencies invariable."[4] In it, Patton includes three constants in his conception of reincarnation: he is always reborn as a male; he is always reborn as a fighter; and he retains some awareness of previous lives and incarnations.[4]