POEM CODES

“A poem by Leo Marks was read at the Clinton-Mezvinsky wedding. I don’t think anyone will be using that poem for cryptographic purposes ever again. But don’t blame it on Chelsea. In fact, she deserves a little credit for reintroducing a fascinating figure to the public.”Richard Hyfler, Forbes

The life that I have Is all that I have And the life that I have Is yours

The love that I haveOf the life that I have Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall haveA rest I shall have Yet death will be but a pauseFor the peace of my years In the long green grass Will be yours and yours and yours.

Step 1: Pick five words from the poem.

Step 1: Pick five words from the poem.

LIFE YOURS SLEEP DEATH GRASS

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E

E P D E A T H G R A S S

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E

E P D E A T H G R A S S1 2

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E

E P D E A T H G R A S S3 1 2

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E4 5

E P D E A T H G R A S S6 3 1 2

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E4 4 5

E P D E A T H G R A S S6 3 1 2

Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

Step 3: What was your last number? Write your plaintext out in a grid that has that many columns. Fill in the final row with gibberish.

Step 3: What was your last number? Write your plaintext out in a grid that has that many columns. Fill in the final row with gibberish.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

“Deciphering is, in my opinion, one of the most fascinating of arts, and I fear I have wasted upon it more time than it deserves.” (Charles Babbage)

Step 4: Read down the columns, taking the columns in the order specified by the numbers from Step 2.

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

ITAIB

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

ITAIB GSETS

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

ITAIB GSETS REDOR

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

ITAIB GSETS REDOR IOTNS

L I F E Y O U R S S L E12 11 8 4 24 14 23 16 18 19 13 5E P D E A T H G R A S S6 15 3 7 1 22 10 9 17 2 20 21

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

d e c i p h e r i n g i s i n m y o p i n i o n

o n e o f t h e m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g o

f a r t s a n d i f e a r i h a v e w a s t e d

u p o n i t m o r e t i m e t h a n i t d e s e

r v e s c h a r l e s b a b b a g e q x w y z a

ITAIB GSETS REDOR IOTNS NODEA IAIEB OGESZ MCAHA ONENE PAWIQ SFRMA PFSIC HTATH NSHTB CEROE EHNMA DOFUR INTEY NOFEE IMIRL YIVAG ENAPV ITATX NISDW

Step 5: Prepend the message with a coded version of the words from the poem you picked in Step 1.

Step 5: Prepend the message with a coded version of the words from the poem you picked in Step 1.

LIFE → 2nd word → BYOURS → 18th word → RSLEEP → 37th word → 37-26=11 → KDEATH → 47th word → 47-26=21 → UGRASS → 63rd word → 63-52=11 → K

Step 5: Prepend the message with a coded version of the words from the poem you picked in Step 1.

BRKUK ITAIB GSETS REDOR IOTNS NODEA IAIEB OGESZ MCAHA ONENE PAWIQ SFRMA PFSIC HTATH NSHTB CEROE EHNMA DOFUR INTEY NOFEE IMIRL YIVAG ENAPV ITATX NISDW

Poem Codes

Step 1: Pick five words from the poem.Step 2: Number the letters in your five words by labeling the first A with 1, the second A with 2, and so on. Do the same with the Bs, picking up the numbering where you left off with the As. Keep going through the alphabet.Step 3: What was your last number? Write your plaintext out in a grid that has that many columns. Fill in the final row with gibberish.Step 4: Read down the columns, taking the columns in the order specified by the numbers from Step 2.Step 5: Prepend the message with a coded version of the words from the poem you picked in Step 1.

Leo Marks(1920-2001)

Violette Szabo(1921-1945)

Carve Her Name with Pride(1958)

“In December 1943 I wrote a poem which I gave to Violette Szabo to use as a code. This book is

dedicated to all those who shared it with her.”--Leo Marks, Between Silk and Cyanide (1998)