On another occasion, we got sent out
- In media res- Anecdotal language, matter of fact tone, suggests this is one of many events.
- collective responsibility
- acting under orders
- It could be considered a euphemism as he’s trying to soften the fact they were acting under orders
- Past tense
And one of them legs it up the road,
- Colloquialism, slang ‘legs it’ means to run off (idioms). Used to give realistic tone to the voice of the speaker.
- This is now in the present tense
probably armed, possibly not.
- Aside ‘possibly not’ undermines severity of the statement, if he was not armed should he have been shot? He has the power to decide.
- He’s trying to ease his conscience but doubt creeps back in.
- The full stop makes us think about what he said
Three of a kind all letting fly, and I swear
- He doesn’t allow himself to dwell scarred the guilt might overwhelm him.
- Analogy, soldiers described as cards in Poker, a game of luck. Emphasis that everything about this was just chance.
- He makes sure to emphasise he’s not the only one acting.
- Uses colloquial language to play the violence down.
- enjambment shows how his emotions start to run away with themselves.
I see every round as it rips through his life –
I see broad daylight on the other side.
So we’ve hit this looter a dozen times
- Graphic Hyperbole used to demonstrate the lack of glory or honour in this killing, it is not pretty but still very matter of fact.
- It is still in the present tense and now it is in first person which suggests he’s got less control over himself.
- The anaphora “I see” implies being stuck in the same groove using the same words, this links to the idea that it haunts him.
- Discorse marker- snapping back to reality- full stop
- Dehumanises him- not calling him a man- makes it a smaller event than it is, no emotion.
and he’s there on the ground, sort of inside out,
Dehumanised ‘looter’ ‘sort of inside out’ makes the victim appear more of an object than what was moments ago a living breathing person. Its cage, like he’s trying to disconnect himself from it.
One of my mates goes by
Colloquialism, ‘mate’ almost makes this appear like a night out with the lads, like a social event. He’s belittling it again in order not to feel overwhelmed by emotion.
and tosses his guts back into his body.
- The nature of what is happening, a violent killing is juxtaposed to the relaxed way he talks about the event.
- suggests carelessness and a clear disregard for human life.
His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol
Metaphor for the memory of the man and events. Blood connotes death, shadow connoting lingering memory.
Sleep, and he’s probably armed, and possibly not.
- Repetition from the start to show that this is the thought replaying in his mind and he is racked with guilt. He now feels powerless.
- Sentences are longer which shows a lack of control.
And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out –
- ‘flush’ common term to get rid of something unwanted, this is no longer a matter of war but everyday life.
- The extent of the damage it has caused to him as a person becomes apparent.
dug in behind enemy lines,
Analogy, describes the memory like a hostile soldier in his mind, where he cannot get him. It shouldn’t be there.
or six-feet-under in desert sand,
Sibilance, smothered, six, sand: gives the impression of a sinister dream/nightmare like state.
his bloody life in my bloody hands.
- Pun, bitter/dark humour bloody meaning covered in blood but also an expression of anger/hate. The soldier is at conflict with this dead man, but more with his own mind. Ends the poem with a sense of despair and open ended., no resolution.
- blood as in guilt.
Explain the poems context…
The poem is written from the perspective of a soldier stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan (or any warzone really). They are on patrol and fire on some bank robbers. One of the looters appeared to possibly have a gun so they open fire. The rest of the poem is looking at the fact the solider, even long after this event, cannot leave the memory behind and carries this dead man with him in
his mind.
Post traumatic stress and mental illness is very common in soldiers who struggle to come to terms with some part of their duty, normally a horrific memory of killing or being in danger which
gives them nightmares and panic attacks as well as depression and sometimes suicidal tendencies.
Simon Armitage is a famous UK poet who is known for being very direct in his work. His recent poems have looked at the experiences of war and soldiers.
Explain what the poem is about…
The poem is originally set in a warzone and naturally looks at conflict in a direct way. However it also looks heavily at the after effects of conflict and the long term effects it has on the people involved. Power is partly shown in this as well, firstly the soldiers power over life and death but later the power over their own memory and experiences. Mental health and morality are also key in this.
Explain the poems structure…
The poem is written in 8 stanzas, the last of which is a couplet which leaves the poem on a dramatic end
note. It does not rhyme and the poem is a monologue, using very conversational asides and syntax to structure the sentences into a very conversational tone “end of story, not really”. There is also a lot of enjambment and caesura used to emphasises the natural speech patterns of the speaker. Another key factor in this poem is the use of colloquialism (slang) and personal pronouns to give it a sense of realism, “One of my mates,”.
There is a loose set of rhymes in the poem, often internal and used to give an almost childish aspect to the horror of the warzone. It perhaps suggests how numb this soldier is to what is happening.
How does the word numb relate to this poem?
The speaker in the poem (the soldier) appears to be numb to the horror of the experience of war, most of the horrific images of death and killing are juxtaposed to the casual nature of the way the soldier speaks, using slang and clichés. In part this reflects a conflict in himself, the way he sees these events and how they affect him, but also his way of trying to maintain control, by trivialising the whole experience.
Key points…
- The poem explores the events in a soldiers life which in turn trigger PTSD, it is worth noting the memory hurts him more than the event itself.
- The colloquial nature of the speakers voice is used to create a sense of heightened realism to the piece.
- The poet suggests a conflict in the speakers mind, an avoidance of the reality of what happened which haunts him.
Themes in the poem…
- Effects of conflict
- Reality of conflict
- Memory
- Guilt
- Individual Experience
Key quotes for the poem…
"probably armed, possibly not" "tosses his guts" "rips through his life" "drink and drugs" "my bloody hands"
I walk right over it week after week.
Then I’m home on leave. But I blink
- Stuck going over and over the same spot facing the same agony.
- Blinking occurs often which shows he relives the pain often.
