What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
only the monstrous anger of the guns.
only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,--
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Obviously this poem is talking about war. The entire poem is such a reflection about the war. The author wrote this poeam to the young soldier who was died for fighting on the war.(shows that as the topic) The war was sad and horrible, it took for a long time but young soldiers still wiling to fight for peace even their family are extrmely sad and afraid of loosing them.
ReplyDeleteIn my perspective Owen speaks of "these who die as cattle" refers to the soldiers that was not treated as humans beings instead treated as animals herds leading to their deaths. In line 9 attribute to how the soldiers enthusiastically sped themselves to their ends.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the poem several times, I felt a sense of mourning for the soldiers. Owen's usage of imagery, creates several images of soldiers dying alone in war and people mourning the loss of their loved ones. I personally believe that Owen, wrote the poem as a form of criticism in regard to WWI. The reader can connect with the poem and feel a sense of grief when finished. The family members of those who died in battle can connect with this poem and will agree with Owen that war is not the answer, since all it leaves behind is despair and grief.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments above. This poem is a reflection of the war. The soldiers aren't important to the main people in the war, their just used as tools. They are easily replaceable. This is seen in the first line: "What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?" It talks about how the number of people who died in war is so high that they aren't even being properly mourned anymore. This is seen in lines 5-6: "No mockeries for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs," I agree with Yessenia when she says that Owen in proving that war is not good for anyone because all it does is bring sadness and death.
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