APOLLINAIRE Guillaume (Wilhelm Apollinaris de Kostrowitzky, said), French poet. Autograph letter signed "G.A.", [addressed to André Dupont]. August 12, 1914; 4 pages in-8°, frayed edges and cracks in the folds. Very long letter on the War: "Your letter frightens me my dear Friend, you are a Zouave. I know little about zouaves and you are the first zouave I know. I wish you not to be too much of a Zouave. However, for the past five months I have heard the brigadier of the 1st piece sing whenever he is brindezing. "I am a zouave and I know it well, That all is not pink in the war". You will be able to sing it soon in all truth. You will see how quickly you will get used to it. Billy published in the Mercure some verses that I addressed to you, he attached a reply that he addressed to me, all attributed to a poilu mobilized in the artillery and to one of his friends. [] There is there a certain awkwardness. The debates reproduced the whole thing. It is true that Billy is nice and one must forgive him. On the other hand, our letters do not belong to us any more, one can consequently attribute our verses to whom one will want. [Today I wrote a lot of occasional verses. [] Sector 138 is much less pleasant than sector 59. As far as we can tell, these are mysteries which can be initiated by coming to see for yourself. These mysteries, for your information, are not very interesting or even mysterious, but we want to make sure that there is no authentic relation of the days that follow the days. [] I wish you to arrive here only a few days before the signing of the peace just enough to earn the war cross."