Another Dedication

I have been, since my youth, fascinated by the dedications in books and novels. My curiosity about who these people, so often named only in allusion or initial, were or are has always been strong. Now, as a writer myself my curiosity is more interested in knowing what gifts these people gave the writer, what aid or succor or drive.
My favorite, to date, dedication is still from James Clavell in his novel King Rat - "For Those Who Were, And Are Not. For Those Who Were, And Are. For Him. But Most, For Her."
Today however, I came across another one that is quite excellent. It is from Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence.

"To S.A.
I loved you, so I drew these tides of men into my hands
and wrote my will across the sky in stars
To earn you, Freedom, the seven-pillared worthy house,
that your eyes might be shining for me
When I came.

Death seemed my servant on the road, till we were near
and saw you waiting:
When you smiled, and in sorrowful envy he outran me
and took you apart:
Into his quietness.

Love, the way-weary, groped to your body, our brief wage
ours for the moment
Before earth's soft hand explored your shape, and the blind
worms grew fat upon
Your substance.

Men prayed me that I set our work, the inviolate house,
as a memory of you.
But for fit monument I shattered it, unfinished: and now
The little things creep out to patch themselves hovels
in the marred shadow
Of your gift."

It is probable that S.A. was the teenage native boy Lawrence had moved in with him for a time, not something one can easily identify with, but who a man loves and what he is willing to shed blood for are a mans own business and his alone I suppose - Especially this far down the line. Whoever, of whatever sex, race or creed, S.A. was they were worth everything to this man - And he saw the glory, and then the tarnish and ruin, of his works reflected in the life and hope, and then the death, of this person he cared so deeply for.
Judge it as you will - I say read the poem, its poetry, its about what its about to you. In it I see the sentiment of a warrior.