Comparing For the Fallen and I Was Only Nineteen
In today's modern world, the use of poetry to communicate and express oneself has become quite rare. One of the main reasons is due to the fact that with such an old style of writing, it is very often hard to understand properly. poetry is indeed difficult to read and hard to understand, but given time, it is a rewarding challenge. Poetry is not only written verse but is used in songs as well. Taken the time to listen to the words of modern songs, you will realise that the lyrics of the song are actually a poem linking modern day music to poetry.
To help Year Twelve students that are studying poetry appreciate it's value, this pamphlet's aim is to discuss a classic poem and a modern song lyric to show that even poetry written many years ago can still be relevant to people and lyrics today. By reading this may you gain a greater knowledge and understanding of poetry in general, and not just the two discussed further on.
The poem I have chosen is ¡§For the Fallen¡¨ by Laurence Binyon. Certain stanzas from it are often quoted at Anzac Day ceremonies each year. The lyric chosen is also on the theme of war, and is titled ¡§I was only Nineteen¡¨, written by John Schumann. While the common setting is war, there are also other underlying themes that link both pieces of writing, such as loss of life, and alienation¡K
I was only Nineteen
John Schumann
1 Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal.
It was a long march from cadets.
The sixth battalion was the next to your and it was me who drew the card.
We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left.
5 And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay.
This clipping fro...
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...hor of the poem ¡§For the Fallen¡¨, Laurence Binyon, has also expressed the feeling of loss and alienation that comes along with war as he writes about those who fought in the Gallipoli campaign. Not only the alienation of soldiers, but the families who have suffered from their deaths:
17They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
18They sit no more at familiar tables of home
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As you can see, upon looking at both pieces of writing from a different angle, there is always the opportunity for different interpretations. It is certain that a deeper analysis will give even more possible themes and common topics. Now that you have seen how each of these can be read in more than one way, hopefully you can read other pieces of poetry, attain different meanings for them and have greater love and knowledge for poetry in general.
Poetry is its own solid object” (Bad Poem, Great Song). To some, the dilemma is cut and dry, songs just can’t be poetry.
When Paul was in the war he and his Friend Kat ran into a recruit that had been shot and they were debating whether or not to put him out of his misery. "We'll be back again soon," says Kat, "We are only going to get a stretcher for you."We don't know if he understands. He whimpers like a child and plucks at us: "Don't go away--” Kat looks around and whispers: "Shouldn't we just take a revolver and put an end to it?" (Page 34). In the movie Gallipoli, the main character Archy was a runner and he had no idea what he had gotten himself into. But when it was his time to cross the front line he had hesitation and did what he had signed up for. In the poem In Flanders Field it makes you feel sad for all the lives that had been lost. “Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.” this gives you a feeling of sadness for all the people who died and their families that they will never see
For centuries, war has broken families and caused scarring both physical and mental. Consequently, the futility of war has been universally accepted and Bruce Dawes powerful poems ‘Weapons Training’ and ‘Homecoming’ reveal this. Dawe creates an Australian insight to the training and consequences of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was a long conflict Beginning in 1954 and ending in 1975. More than 3 million people were killed in the tragic War. Dawes ‘Weapons Training’ demonstrates the guidance of an abusive Sergeant whilst ‘Homecoming’ illustrates the shocking consequences and impact of war. Bruce Dawes powerful war poems, paired together, showcase a journey. One filled with harsh and vulgar training whilst the other proves that even training
In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by the name of Langston Hughes. A well-known writer that still gets credit today for pomes like “ Theme for English B” and “Let American be American Again.”
Both poems are set in the past, and both fathers are manual labourers, which the poets admired as a child. Both poems indicate intense change in their fathers lives, that affected the poet in a drastic way. Role reversal between father and son is evident, and a change of emotion is present. These are some of the re-occurring themes in both poems. Both poems in effect deal with the loss of a loved one; whether it be physically or mentally.
poem expresses to the reader, the pain of war and what it is like to
Although some people listen to a song without actually thinking or caring about what the lyrics mean, Mr. Falk's assignment has us pause from mindlessly chanting the lyrics to actually taking a moment to wonder what the artist really means by his words. Quite coincidentally, this is an opportune chance to appreciate good lyrics as one does good poetry. I believe that all songwriters write with great meaning, often hidden, which makes their music all the more interesting.
Magill, Frank, ed. Critical Survey of Poetry: Revised Edition. Vol. 6. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1992. 2632-2635.
Billy Collins has used a specific metaphor, simile, rhyme and personification in his poem ‘Introduction to poetry’ in order to show how one should better understand a poem. This poem focused on what the poem actually mean and how a poem should be clearly understood. Throughout the poem, Billy Collins has presented a clear way of understanding the poem by using a very interesting imagery, symbolism, metaphor and a very sensitive sound. The words used in this poem are so powerful that the readers are convinced to think about the issue presented in the poem.
The first poem I am going to discuss is by Wilfred Owen. Wilfred Owen was a young man who voluntarily joined the army. He went to war thinking it was an adventure but his views dramatically changed over the course of the war. His views are shown trough many dramatic and tragic poems. He suddenly passed away on the 4th of November 1918, but his legacy still continues to have profound effects on literature.
Many war poems such as “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae depict the typical war themes of death, despair, and sadness. In Alan Bennett’s book “The History Boys”, the students recite the poem “MCMXIV” by war poet Phillip Larkin who describes the more joyous part of the war, the celebrations held in the days before the men left for war. In this commentary, we will analyze the question the students made to their teacher Mr. Irwin asking whether the poem “MCMXIV” as a piece of art describes the truth about history.
A popular theme for poets in the last century was war. Many famous poems were written about the two world wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. This essay will consider six poems with a war theme, three by Wilfred Owen and three by Australian poets. ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, ‘The Send Off’ and ‘Insensibility (1)’ were written by Owen during the first world war to express his anti-war attitude. ‘Beach Burial’ by Kenneth Slessor, ‘Homecoming’ by Bruce Dawe and ‘Letter XV’ by Bruce Beaver are famous Australian poems about war. The poems have many similarities, but also have their differences.
The two poems about World War 1, ‘The Soldier’ by Rupert Brooke, and ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ by Wilfred Owen, each present their views in different ways. World War one started in 1914 and ended after four years. There are two main responses from soldiers. The two approaches have been written each in these poems. Both have similarities and differences. They are conveyed in different ways that affect the reader more at some points and less than others.
The Norton Anthology of Poetry. Shorter 5th Edition ed. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2005. 1307. Print.
War consumes the youth of young men and completely alters a person. From numerous poems, it is made clear that war exhausts the youth of young men, and has left their lives with no meaning. These poems are “Dulce Et Decorum Est” and “Mental Cases” written by Wilfred Owen. Similarly, they both employ the same techniques, such as similes and metaphors. However, a somewhat different perspective is projected through the poem “In Flanders Field” by John McCrae, which dissimilitudes yet intensifies the main message. Whether from a more emotional perspective or from a physical view, war has devastated the prime time of many young men in multitudinous ways.