The poem
We'd found an old Boche dug-out, and he knew, And gave us hell, for shell on frantic shell Hammered on top, but never quite burst through. Rain, guttering down in waterfalls of slime Kept slush waist high, that rising hour by hour, Choked up the steps too thick with clay to climb. What murk of air remained stank old, and sour With fumes of whizz-bangs, and the smell of men Who'd lived there years, and left their curse in the den, If not their corpses. . . . There we herded from the blast Of whizz-bangs, but one found our door at last. Buffeting eyes and breath, snuffing the candles. And thud! flump! thud! down the steep steps came thumping And splashing in the flood, deluging muck -- The sentry's body; then his rifle, handles Of old Boche bombs, and mud in ruck on ruck. We dredged him up, for killed, until he whined "O sir, my eyes -- I'm blind -- I'm blind, I'm blind!" Coaxing, I held a flame against his lids And said if he could see the least blurred light He was not blind; in time he'd get all right. "I can't," he sobbed. Eyeballs, huge-bulged like squids Watch my dreams still; but I forgot him there In posting next for duty, and sending a scout To beg a stretcher somewhere, and floundering about To other posts under the shrieking air.
Those other wretches, how they bled and spewed, And one who would have drowned himself for good, -- I try not to remember these things now. Let dread hark back for one word only: how Half-listening to that sentry's moans and jumps, And the wild chattering of his broken teeth, Renewed most horribly whenever crumps Pummelled the roof and slogged the air beneath -- Through the dense din, I say, we heard him shout "I see your lights!" But ours had long died out.
there is a powerful realism in the poem. for most of the poem owen is reporting exactly what happened.details are accuartely recorded and there is vivid images used throughout. there is also powerful dramatic quality throughout the poem
this is a relistic and moving poem ........ cry cry cry......
Well i personally believe that it is very silly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that you should try watching and analysing Hideo Nakatas work on the slashing of a human breast to arouse married japanese business men!
i belive this poem is a piece of ****in ****e
Good poem...very moving.. whats it about
owen was in the army and lots of his work was showing everyone what was actually going on in the war. propaganda glorified it but it was people like owen who saw people going mad with shell shock and being killed in horrifying ways, comrades getting shot down daily in the cesspit of war. he opened eyes. this poem tells of a sentry that went mad with pain and fear, i think it's a fantastic poem for what it stands for