WAR poems

6 poemsWon Chang

Saturday, February 16, 13

World War 1


In Flanders Fieldsby John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.

During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.

As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.

For the story behind the inspiration for “In Flanders Fields”, see our page at:

Won: This poem tries to show huge loss of soldiers’ life. I feel sad because they die so young and lived only hours at

the Flanders fields, Belgium. The most interesting description “sunset glow” because it’s a big shell or bomb.I could see soldiers are really tight because they respect

each other and trust like brothers.


World War 1I


High FlightOh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds,-and done a hundred thingsYou have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,I've chased the shouting wind along, and flungMy eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blueI've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark nor ever eagle flew-And, while with silent lifting mind I've trodThe high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God

This poem was found in many of the Kriegies' YMCA issued diaries. Written by John G. Magee on September 3, 1941. Magee was born in Shanghai, China, of missionary parents-an American father and an English mother, and spoke Chinese before English. He was educated at Rugby school in England and at Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut. He won a Scholarship to Yale, but instead joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in late 1940, trained in Canada, and was sent to Britain. He flew in a Spitfire squadron and was killed on a routine training mission on December 11, 1941. The sonnet above was sent to his parents written on the back of a letter which said, "I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed." He also wrote of his course ending soon and of his then going on operations, and added, "I think we are very lucky as we shall just be in time for the autumn blitzes (which are certain to come)."

Magee's parents lived in Washington, D.C., at the time of his death, and the sonnet came to the attention of the Librarian of Congress, Archibald MacLeish. He acclaimed Magee the first poet of the War, and included the poem in an exhibition of poems of "faith and freedom" at the Library of Congress in February 1942. The poem was then widely reprinted, and the RCAF distributed plaques with the words to all airfields and training stations

Won: Poet expressing a last moments of dying soldier’s life. As he dies, he feels free and sees face of God. Maybe his spirit leaving from his body and look at himself. I think being a soldier is scary and I would be so scared if I am dying alone out in the field and

feeling pains.


Korean War


Korean Hills

Donald A. Chase PoetryDonald A. Chase lives in Framingham, MA. He joined the US Army Reserves on May 20, 1944, then enlisted in the regular army October 1945. He served with the 89th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. When the Korean War broke out, Donald re-enlisted into the Army in December 1945. He arrived in Korea January or February 1951 and served with B Co., 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was wounded March 1951, then injured a second time in June of July of 1951. He returned to action in Korea November 1952, assigned to I Company 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was wounded a third time on July 26, 1953 at Outpost Harry. He was discharged from the Army in October 1953.

The rugged battle field in Korea,contained many hills with well known names.Deadly fighting took place on their slopes,but sometimes all in vain.

Jackson Heights was such a place,where a lot of blood was spilled.The end result was many deaths,and the enemy controlling the hill.

Outpost Tom and Outpost Dick, were places of much lesser fame.Yet, there too many men suffered and died,When shells came down like rain.

Outpost Harry was a critical hill,one to be held at all costs.And so many men went to their maker,To insure it would not be lost.

History books on the Korean War,will have a paragraph that tellsAbout the men who defended Outpost Harry,and how they defended it well.

Won: This poem describes important of courage in the face of almost certain death. There can be no surrender and no going back. The soldiers are so difficult to move because there are so many hills and also terrible weather in Korea. I could see the

soldiers are very brave and they will fight to the last man.


Vietnam War


Won: This poem describing when the soldiers/pilots are on the helicopter or aircraft been attacked and going to crashed. The important part of this poem” The beauty of profanity!” which is the most powerful way to communicate during emergency because they only have a few seconds to get out and save themselves. I really like this poem because it’s shorter than other poems and so direct.

ProfanityWhen hungry bulletsChew into soft airplane bodiesSending dials and gaugesSpinning in whirling circles…

When the little red warning lightsScream in alarm, "blink-red", "blink-red", "blink-red"!It is then you discoverThe beauty of profanity!And the need to know all the words!But in no particular order.

Curt Bennett


Iraq WAr


Knackered

Won: Knackered means utterly exhausted. All the soldiers at war experience a total mess because they don’t even know who the enemies are. I also can understand this poem much easier than earlier poems. I could see soldiers

are missing home as he felt months are a year. By reading this poem, I could see the picture of war which are death, anger, fear,bullets,bombs,shells and violence. I feel like the soldiers must be care by government because there are

so many soldiers are living in nightmares. Soldiers must be remembered by people. The war should be stop because it’s just a waste of young men.


Afghanistan War


Reality in AfghanistanMy pain feels cold and selfishMy anguish very smallMy reality insignificantCompared to ones that fallYoung men with broken bodiesTheir Comrades lie in sacksDevastated parents Their sons will not come back.

My pain will ease and lessenMy anguish slip awayReality in AfghanistanTwo brave men died todayYoung men with shell shocked facesGrowing old before their time Are living breathing testamentTo this shallow pain of mine.

Phil WilliamsBastion 1 July 2009

Phil Williams explains how this poem came to be written:I wrote this poem last July (2009). At the time I was working in Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, for the NAAFI and was wallowing in self pity as my partner had just sent me a “Dear John” e mail. Seeing all those helicopters coming in with the dead and wounded moved me greatly and put my own small problems into perspective. I am proud to have served our brave service men and women in Afghanistan in my own small way.

Won: This poem is about a wounded young soldier comparing his pain to the in tense suffering two dead comrades. He will survive but they lost or destroyed. His pain is nothing compared to their loss. The broken bodies would be smashed or in pieces. If I was him, I will do the best as I can for my comrades.


Work CitedWorld war 1

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/john-mccrae-in-flanders-fields.htm

World war 2

http://www.merkki.com/poetry.htm

Korean Warhttp://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/klt/99fall/bookreview.htm

Vietnam Warhttp://www.warpoetry.co.uk/vietnam.htm#PROFANITY

Korean Warhttp://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/poets/p_chase.htm

Iraq Warhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/8455677/Modern-war-poetry-British-soldiers-explore-Afghanistan-and-Iraq-wars-in-verse.html

Afghanistan Warhttp://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html#Reality






http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/klt/99fall/bookreview.htm

http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/klt/99fall/bookreview.htm

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/vietnam.htm#PROFANITY

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/vietnam.htm#PROFANITY

http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/poets/p_chase.htm

http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/poets/p_chase.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/8455677/Modern-war-poetry-British-soldiers-explore-Afghanistan-and-Iraq-wars-in-verse.html




http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html#Reality

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html#Reality

WAR poems

Documents

Transcript of WAR poems