The Wild Swans at Coole- W. B. Yeats

THE trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty Swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?

First Instinct

          After reading through the poem “The Wild Swan at Coole” by Yeats my first reaction was that the poem is written in the season autumn. My Next reaction was that the individual in which the poem is written about was impacted greatly by the weather and events that were occurring around him. My final reaction to the poem is that the poem is actually describing actually swans and their beauty. I came to this conclusion because throughout the poem, Yeats discusses the swans and their wings. Also he talks about how much the swans love each other and will never part from each other.

Paraphrasing

The trees are colorful because of the season.
The land is dry
Under the October night the water
Reflects a still sky;
On top of the water among the stones
Are swans.

The weather has grown on me
Since I was first here
I saw, before I  was finished
All of a sudden got up
And flew in different directions
Flying with their wings.

I have watched these smart animals

And now my heart is hurting.
All has changed, since that October night
The first time here
The swans fly above me
Trod with a lighter steps

Partners side by side
They fly in the cold
Together streams or climbing the air,
Their hearts are still young
Love or adventure, go where they please
Wonder to where

However, they float on the still water,
Mysterious and beautiful
They will build
By the edge of the lake
Delightful to the human eyes, every day
To discover on day they are gone?

SWIFTT

          Syntax/Word: The stanza being one whole sentence functions to allow Yeats to express his thought completely. This structure supports the author’s purpose to make it easier for the readers to clearly understand his thoughts on the topic in which he is discussing. Words like brilliant and twilight are used to describe both the swans and the environment surrounding them. This is significant because these words add a since of vibrant and liveliness to the poem.

          Imagery: Throughout the poem, Yeats uses visual imagery to have the reader’s picture what he is discussing. For example, in the beginning stanza, Yeats mentions the reflection on the night sky in the water. This is significant to the poem because the readers can better visualize why the individual admires the swans and scenery. Another image that is in the poem, is the picture of the swans flying above the individual’s head. This is significant to the poem because it allows the readers to understand why the individual wish to be free like the swans. Since the swans have the ability to fly, they are basically free to do what they please. Humans do not have this ability.

          Figurative: After analyzing the poem, readers realize that Yeats did not use typical figurative language in the poem. However Yeats did use the swans to compare them to humans.  Swans were used to be compared to humans because swans are beautiful, love each other, and are free. These characteristics of swans are the characteristics humans yearn to have.

          Tone: Once the reader have fully analyzed the poem by Yeats, readers can conclude that the tone of the poem is admiring. There is an admiring tone about the poem for plenty of reasons. First reason is that the individual  is admiring the environment surrounding him. He notices how the still water reflect the night time sky. Second reason is that individual admires the swans. He admires the swans because they are always together. Also the swans are free to do whatever the y please. The final reason is that the individual admires the other individual, whom they fell in love with. If the individual did not admire the significant other, they would not be in love.

          Theme: After further analyzing the poem by Yeats, the readers can have a better understand of what the theme of the poem is. The theme of the poem is that no matter what kind of boundaries an individual has in their life, they should live it to the fullest. The individual in the poem lives his life to fullest because he manages to fall in love while a night. Then he decided to spend forever with his significant other, until they decided to leave him or her. If the individual had not lived his or her life, they would have never known whether or not what would have happened.

Conclusion

          After further analyzing the poem “The Wild Swans at Coole” by Yeats readers can conclude what Yeats' true meaning for writing the poem is. Once I closely analyzed the poem, I concluded that my first reaction was not completely correct. The poem is about swans; however, Yeats is using the swans as a metaphor to humans. The true meaning of the poem discusses how an individual fell in love. On one October night an individual fell in love with somebody. Together the couple was always by each other’s side and did everything together. Even though the couple was in love, they ended up suddenly drifting apart.

The Solitary Reaper- William Wordsworth

Behold her, single in the field,
    Yon solitary Highland Lass!
    Reaping and singing by herself;
    Stop here, or gently pass!
    Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
    And sings a melancholy strain;
    O listen! for the Vale profound
    Is overflowing with the sound.

    No Nightingale did ever chaunt
    More welcome notes to weary bands
    Of travellers in some shady haunt,
    Among Arabian sands:
    A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard
    In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
    Breaking the silence of the seas
    Among the farthest Hebrides.

    Will no one tell me what she sings?—
    Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
    For old, unhappy, far-off things,
    And battles long ago:
    Or is it some more humble lay,
    Familiar matter of to-day?
    Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
    That has been, and may be again?

    Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang
    As if her song could have no ending;
    I saw her singing at her work,
    And o'er the sickle bending;—
    I listened, motionless and still;
    And, as I mounted up the hill,
    The music in my heart I bore,
    Long after it was heard no more.

First Instinct

          After reading though “The Solitary Reaper” By Wordsworth, my first reaction was that the poem was that the poem is about a woman. Readers can assume that the poem is about a woman because throughout the poem Wordsworth repeatedly uses words like she and her. My next reaction was that the woman is by herself in a field. This woman likes to sing songs that attract people to visit her. However, the individual who the poem is written by cannot hear the songs the woman is singing.

Paraphrasing

She is by herself in a field
The hill lady!
Gathering and singing to herself;
Stop or pass
Alone she chops and gathers grain,
And sings a sad song,
Listen! For the farewell
Is to full of sound.

No nightingale ever sang
More beautiful note to exhausted groups
Of traveller in their lairs,
Among foreign lands
A voice so beautiful never heard
In the spring for the birds
Stopping since of the sea
Among the greater distance islands.

No one will tell me what she sings
Maybe the mournful songs flow
Because of the past sad things
And sad battles from the past
Or is the song happy?
Because of today
Some sorrow, lost or pain
That happened or may be happening again

Whatever the woman’s songs are about
As if she have stopped singing;
I saw her singing while she worked
And over the reaping hook;
I just listened not moving
Finally climbing the hill
The music was in my heart
After walking a distance the song could no longer be heard.

SWIFTT

          Syntax/ Word: Throughout the poem, uses specific words to set up a mood. The phrase “more welcome notes to weary bands” is used to describe the types of songs the woman is singing because she is thinking about past events that occurred in her life that make her sad. This is significant because by using phrase like this Wordsworth makes it easier for the readers to realize that the diction is somewhat on the depressed side.

          Imagery: Throughout the poem, Wordsworth uses visual imagery to have the reader’s picture what he is discussing. For example, in the beginning stanza, Wordsworth mentions a woman working in a field by herself singing. With this image the readers can picture cutting and harvesting grains in a field while singing. This is significant to the poem because the readers can better visualize the woman and the environment in which the poem takes place in. Another image that is in the poem, is the picture of somebody walking over a hill listening to the songs the woman is singing. This is significant to the poem because according to Wordsworth, everybody stops to listen to the woman sing. This image supports the statement of travelers stopping to listen and watch her harvest the grains on her field.

          Figurative: After analyzing the poem closely, the readers can conclude that Wordsworth does not use any forms of figurative language in “The Solitary Reaper”.

          Tone: Once the reader have fully analyzed the poem by Wordsworth, readers can conclude that the tone of the poem is alluring. There is an alluring tone about the poem for plenty of reasons. First reason is that the woman is the charming travelers to stop and listen to her sing. environment surrounding him. He notices how the still water reflect the night time sky. Second reason is that travelers are fascinated by her singing nothing they have ever heard sounds like her voice.

          Theme: After further analyzing the poem by Wordsworth, the readers can have a better understand of what the theme of the poem is. The theme of the poem singing is the key to expressing feelings when an individual is depressed. The woman in the poem singing beautifully sad song because she is contemplating sorrowful memories or events that are occurring in her life at the moment.  
Conclusion

          After further analyzing the poem “The Solitary Reaper” by Wordsworth individuals can conclude what Wordsworth’s true meaning for writing the poem was. Once I closely analyzed the poem, I could conclude that my first reaction was correct. The true purpose for writing the poem is to depict a sad woman. The woman could be sad because of past events that occurred in her life or because of current events occurring in her life. Throughout the poem, the ability to sing is being compared to being sad. Readers can conclude that Wordsworth’s opinion about being able to sing comes from the individual feeling some kind of sorrow. If an individual tries to sing and does feel some kind of sorrow, they are truly not singing. Therefore, an individual who is dealing with depression is singing to express his or her pain.

Telephone Poles- John Updike

They have been with us a long time.
They will outlast the elms.
Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees
In his search for game,
Run through them. They blend along small-town streets
Like a race of giants that have faded into mere mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of belief,
Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered encrustations of electrical debris¬
Each a Gorgon’s head, which, seized right,
Could stun us to stone.

Yet they are ours. We made them.
See here, where the cleats of linemen
Have roughened a second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been driven sideways at intervals handy for human legs.
The Nature of our construction is in every way
A better fit than the Nature it displaces
What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,
Unscrambled, is English? True, their thin shade is negligible,
But then again there is not that tragic autumnal
Casting-off of leaves to outface annually.
These giants are more constant than evergreens
By being never green.

First Instinct

          After reading through “Telephone Poles” by Updike my first reaction to the poem is that he is using the poem to describe the telephone poles. Another reaction that I had to the poem was that is not criticizing the telephone poles. Updike is using the poem to express his feeling towards the poles and humans ability to create them. Since the humans have created these poles, they are beginning to take over today’s society. Also by reading while the poem, I have come to the conclusion that Updike believes that the telephone poles will be on earth forever.

Paraphrasing

Poles have been with us a long time.
They will survive longer than other trees.
Our eyes are of violent filtering the trees
In his search for game,

Run through them. They are along small- town streets.
Like a race of gaints that gone into mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of any belief
Boost unbelieving to their frightening bolts, binds, bars, nuts, insulators, and such Barnacle as compose.
These weathered accumulations of electrical wreckage.
Each dragon’s head, grasped right,
Could shock us to stone.

However they are ours. We made them.
See here, where the spikes of linemen
Have abraded a second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been driven sideways for human legs.
The Nature of our construction is in every way
A better fit then the nature it moves.
What other tree can you climb where the birds are,
 Decoded is English? Yes, there tiny shade is insignificant
But then again there is not that catastrophic fall
Where the leaves fall off every year.
These poles are most constant then other trees
By never being green.

SWIFTT

          Syntax/ Word: The poem is divided into two stanzas to function as two different topics being discussed. This structure supports the author’s purpose because in the first stanza Updike discusses the poles in general. While the second stanza Updike uses as a way to discuss how telephone poles are better than actual trees. Throughout the poem, Updike uses his word choice to influence the reader’s opinion of the poem. The phrase “could stun us to stone” is used to describe the telephones and conveys animism. This is significant because the readers are able to visual the telephones have this magical phone. If individuals think about a telephone pole, they really are magical.

          Imagery: Updike uses imagery throughout the poem to describe the telephone poles. The image of the telephone poles running through and blending in on small-town street depicts a picture of telephone one after another on side of street because the readers envision driving down the street and every few seconds they will see a telephone pole. Individuals are so usual to see the telephone roles along the side of the road that they begin to blend in with their surroundings. Another image of Gorgon’s heads depict the picture of the telephones having a head with a bunch of wires coming out of it  because the reader’s envision that the top part of the telephone pole is the head, while all the wires that are attached to the pole is the hair on the head. This is significant for the readers to envision because it is how Updike is attempting to describe the actual telephone pole. The final picture of a bare trunk spikes depicts a picture of tree with no bark and has something sharp coming out of it because the readers envision the bare pole with the spikes at stick out of the sides of the pole. These spikes are uses as a step ladder the workers use to climb the pole; which is why this image is important for the readers to understand.

          Figurative: The author alludes to animism in order to describe the telephone poles. Animism is that everything, including nonliving objects, has spirits inside of them. Through this reference, the readers connect the telephone poles to spirits and can more fully understand the author’s purpose to describe that the telephone poles are alive. In the poem there is one simile. The subject of our eyes is compared to the eyes of a “savage sieving the trees”. This is fitting because our eyes and the eyes of a “savage sieving the trees” share these characteristics: they both can filter through the trees and see everything.

          Tone: Once the readers, fully analyze the poem by Updike, individuals can conclude that the tone of the poem is relax and proud. There are plenty of reasons why the readers can conclude that the tone is relaxed. The main reason is that Updike does not use any specifically strong word to critic the use of tree as telephone pole. Readers can also conclude that the tone poem is proud because of the way Updike is proud of the creations, humans have made. Without these telephone poles, we probably would not be able to have as fast as of a communication system we have today.

          Theme: The theme of the poem, Updike was trying to accomplish was that there is a disconnect between humans and nature and humans are happy due to this disconnection. The fact that the disconnection because humans and nature is allowing the industrial world to take over the nature world. We are happy because we are taking God’s creations and making them into something that is more useful in today’s society.

Conclusion

          After closely analyzing the “telephone Poles” by Updike, readers have the ability to grasp his true purpose in writing the poem.  The true purpose for writing the poem is not only to describe the telephone poles and their importance in today’s society but to always prove how humans treat nature differently. Now that humans have innovations like telephone poles and car, there is no longer a need for humans to appreciate nature as much as we use to. The majority of the time, the things us humans use to make and build stuff comes from nature. As we use more and more things from nature humans are going further away from nature itself.

To An Athlete Dying Young- A.E. Housman

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

First Instinct

          After reading through the poem by Housman, my reaction to the poem was that it is about an athlete that received some form of glory. Even though he has received this glory, the athlete is told not brag about it. The athlete cannot brag about to accomplishment because somebody else could beat him. Once some other individuals beats him, he will go unnoticed until the athlete beats another record.

Paraphrasing

When you won the town the race
We carried you through the town square;
Everybody was there cheering,
And you went home with high shoulders.

Today, all runner come down the road,
We brought you home with high shoulders
And set you down at your sill,
Town’s citizens of a quitter town.

Brilliant lads, to slide bedtime away
From arenas were glory does not last
And early though the praise grows
It dies faster than a rose.

Eyes of the night have closed
Cannot see the record.
And the silent sound are no worse than cheers
After world has ceased the ears;

Now you won’t bulge the defeat
Of boys that used their honor out,
Runner whose fame outran
And their name dies before they do.

So stop, before the echoing stops,
The runner foot on the ledge of shade,
And hold to the low beam up
The defended competition cup.

And round early praises are heard
Will gather to take observe the dead,
And find undead on the curls
The chaplet short-lived then a girl’s

SWIFTT      

Syntax/ Word: After reading through the poem, readers can realize that there are four stanzas. Each stanza is a whole sentence. This structure allows the readers to clearly understand Housman’s opinion of each topic discussed in the stanza.

Imagery: Once the readers, analyze the poem Housman uses the image of a dead athlete to portray is purpose for writing the poem. The image of the dead athlete allows the readers to visual the athlete meaning on to the next stage of his life. Once the readers envision the athlete has moved on, they realize that athlete has died before his glory dies. Now that the athlete has died, his or her glory will never died.

Figurative: After further analyzing the poem, the readers can conclude that Housman did not use forms of figurative language in his poem “To an Athlete Dying Young.”

Tone: After analyzing the poem, readers can assume that there are two main tones within the poem. The first tone in the poem is dull. This is the first tone because in the athlete has died young. Second tone in the poem is satisfaction. There is a sense of satisfaction because the athlete has accomplished a certain goal he or she wanted. Also since the athlete has died young, they will always be remembered for accomplishing this goal.

Theme: After analyzing the poem, readers can assume that the main theme of the poem is glory does not last long. Readers can assume this because throughout the poem Housman mentions an athlete should not brag about their accomplishments. They should not brag about their accomplishment because there is always another athlete trying to beat their accomplishment.

Conclusion

          After analyzing the poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” by Housman the readers can conclude what his true meaning for writing the poem was. Once I analyzed the poem, I can conclude that my first reaction to the poem was correct. The poem is about an athlete who dies young. The athlete accomplishes a goal then is told not to brag about accomplishing it. He or she is told not to brag because glory fades because other athletes are always accomplishing greater goals.

The Oven Bird- Robert Frost

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

First Instinct

          After reading through the poem once, I have come to the conclusion that the poem is about a bird. Also the poem is written through the eyes of the bird. Throughout the poem, the birds talks about the different seasons. The bird mentions specific events that occur in each season that he lives through. The poem begins in the mid- summer and end in the winter. Finally, the poem begins in a happy tone however, it ends a depressed tone.

Paraphrasing

Everybody has heard this singer,
Loud, summer and wood bird,
Who has the ability to make a solid tree have sound.
Says the leave are old and flowers are new
Summer is to spring as one to ten.
The bird says the petal-falling is past
When pears and cherry blooms fall like showers
On sunny days a moment is cloudy;
And then comes the next season, fall.
He says the pollen is over all.
The bird would stop and be like other birds
But that he knows it is not time to sing.
The question that he surrounds in everything but words
Is what to make of lessened thing.

SWIFTT

Syntax/Word: Throughout the poem, Frost uses specific phrases that have to do with nature. The phrase “When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers” is used to describe how the petals are falling off the trees. This is significant because a shower is another word for rain; rain is part of nature. The lengthy sentences function as a way for the author to include specific details about each season the bird goes through. Also the sentence structure goes from long details sentences to short and to the point sentences. This could support the author’s purpose in representing the seasons. For example, summer is long and plenty of events occur during this time period. While the winter seems short and nothing occurs because everything is dead around the bird.

Imagery: throughout the poem, Frost uses seasonal imagery to keep the reader’s attention and support his purpose in writing the poem. The image of a mid-wood bird depicts a picture of a woodpecker because the readers envision a bird that is also half way up the tree making it seem like it has sound. This is significant because the whole poem is seen through the eyes of this specific bird. Another image is cherry blooms falling like showers depicts a sense of all the leaves fall at once like a shower because the readers envision a shower of cherry blooms falling. This is significant because in the poem is represents that time period before summer turns into fall. The final image in the poem is of highway dust all over, which depicts a picture of dust and pollen being everywhere that the bird looks. This is important because during falling, all the leaves are falling causes the pollen to travel through the air and be all over everything.

Figurative: In the poem, the bird is personified as possessing the human characteristic of knowledge. The author employs personification in order to all the readers to understand that bird has knowledge and understanding of the different seasons and what occurs in each season. Another form of figurative language that is used in the poems is metaphors. The subject of summer and spring is compared to a scale of one to ten. This fitting because according to the bird summer is extremely better than spring. The final example of a metaphor is the poem is when the cherry blooms falling compared to a shower. This is fitting because cheery blooms falling and showers share these characteristics: everything falls at once and while everything is falling they all fall at the same time. This is significant because it allows the readers to understand the point Frost is trying to make about the cherry blooms fall.

Tone: Once the readers have fully analyzed the poem by Frost, individuals can conclude that the tone of the poem is insightful. There is an insightful tone about the poem for plenty of reasons. First reason is that bird is aware of the events that are occurring around him. Second reason is that the bird is observant. As he continues to describe what is going on around him, he also realizes that time is passing by and changing.

Theme: The theme of poem that Frost was trying accomplish was the life is too short. Another aspect of the theme could be that since life is too short, always recognize the time passing you by and the events that are occurring around you.

Conclusion

After closely analyzing the poem “The Oven Bird” by Frost, I can conclude that my first reaction is similar to the actual meaning of the poem. The poem is actually written through the eyes of a wood pecker. One reaction that the got after closely analyzing the poem was that poem’s purpose was to teach the reader that life is too  short to being waiting around for something to happen. For example, the bird is constantly waiting for summer to arrive but once it does it goes by quickly. According to the bird it is important to make every moment count.

Ode to a Grecian Urn- John Keats

Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunt about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal - yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied,
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.
Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.
O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

War is Kind- Stephen Crane

Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory flies above them.
Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind!

First Instinct

          After reading through the poem “War is Kind” by Stephen Crane, my first reaction is that I had a hard time understanding Crane’s purpose in writing the poem. Throughout the poem he repeatedly mentions that war is kind. However, the facts that he uses in his stanza prove that war is not kind. For example, when Crane says that field is filled with a thousand corpses, the readers are left to wonder how that represents war being kind. Also my first reaction is that Crane talks about the men that are fighting in the war are trained to fight and defend themselves. Therefore, if they die it is there fault for not using that they learned to defend themselves from the enemies.

Paraphrasing

Do not cry, girl, war is kind,
Because your significant other went crazy
And the alarmed horse ran alone
Do not cry
War is kind.

Raucous, roaring drums of the troops,
The men yearn to fight,
These special men were born to fight and die.
The mysterious glory is above them.
The battle-god is great and his kingdom is great too.
His kingdom is a field filled thousands of corpses.

Do not cry, dear, because war is kind.
Due to your father falls into yellow ditches,
Exploded at his chest, swallowed and died.
Do not cry.
War is kind.

Rapid, mighty flag of the troops,
Eagle with crown of red and gold,
These special men were born to fight and die.
Point for them the advantage of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excitement of killing
And the field filled with thousands of corpses.

Mother whose heart are modest as a button
On the bright marvelous blanket of their son,
Do not cry.
War is kind.

SWIFTT

Syntax/Word: Throughout the poem, Cranes uses phrase that emotionally heavy to appeal to the readers emotions. An example of this appeal to the reader’s emotion is “mother whose heart hung humble as a button”. This appeals to the readers emotions because even though the mother’s child has passed away she is still humbled because he died fighting for something he believed in. Also Crane’s uses of the maiden and babe, allow the readers to realize that he has written the poem for a female. Crane could be writing this for a female due to the majority of the time, in which the poem was written in, only men were allowed to fight in wars. Women were forced to stay and care for the children and houses.

Imagery: Throughout the poem, Crane uses specific imagery to allow the reader to visualize that he is discussing. The first imagery in the poem, is the “affrighted steed ran on alone”. This imagery is used for the readers to picture a frightened horse running extremely fast by itself. In times of war, it was a common thing for regiments to see horses run around by themselves because the rider was murdered in action. The second piece of imagery Crane uses in his poem is the booming drums of the regiment. By using this imagery the readers can visualize the regiment lining up to fight with the booming drums playing their “theme song”. A field where a thousand corpses lie is another form of imagery, used. By using this imagery can better understand that war is not really kind because thousands of individuals die and are left to rot in fields. The last image that the reader can visual is a troop dying. Readers can visual this because Crane specifically describes his death, “raged at his breast, gulped and died”.

Figurative: In order for the readers to realize that Crane uses figurative language in the poem, they have to closely analysis it. In the second stanza, gives glory animal characteristics. Glory cannot fly therefore the Crane gave glory the characteristics of a bird. The finally form of figurative language used in the poem is a metaphor. The metaphor compares the regiment to an eagle. By comparing the regiment to an eagle, the readers can analysis that Crane believes that they soldiers are strong and brave.

Tone: After closely analyzing the poem, readers realize that the tone of the poem is sarcastic. The tone is sarcastic because throughout the poem Crane says that war is kind but within the stanzas Crane does not use facts to support this claim. The imagery and word choices help the reader analyze the sarcastic tone in the poem. An example of imagery that applies to sarcastic tone is line fourteen through sixteen. In this lines Crane describes a soldier dead, however, in the follow two lines Crane says don’t cry because war is kind. Nothing about men sacrificing their lives to fight in a war is kind.

Theme: After closely analyzing the poem, the readers can come to the conclusion that the theme of the poem is that war is really not kind at all. Readers can come to this conclusion by analyzing the word choices, imagery, and tone. Since the tone of the poem is sarcastic, the readers can conclude that when Crane mentions that war is kind, he really means the opposite. Also the imagery that Crane provides throughout the poem represents all the horrid aspects of a war.

Conclusion

          After further analyzing, the poem I have come to the conclusion that my first reaction to the poem as similar to what the poem is actual about. “War is Kind” is about war not being kind. However, now I have a better understanding why Crane repeatedly using that war is kind. His purpose of using that was to a sarcastic tone to the poem. By doing this the readers have a better understanding of his position on fighting in a war; that it is not kind. One reaction that has change since analyzing the poem is about the men that trained to fight in war. Even though these men are trained to fight, they should not be. War is not a kind thing to be involved in, tons of men and women sacrifice their lives for something they believe in.