War is Kind Lyrics: Do not weep child, war is kind / For your father threw wild hands toward the sky / And his steed ran alone in the night / Do not weep child, war is kind / An orphan now, you are war is a good thing. It breaks readers’ expectations of that the whole poem will be negative as well as such words like “war” and “death” have rather negative connotation. The speaker remarks that the soldiers in front of him were born to drill and die; the battle-god is great, he notes. color symbol: yellow is a color symbol for deceit and cowardice. Mother whose heart hung humble as a button On the bright splendid shroud of your son, Do not weep. He goes on to tell the woman that her “lover threw” his hands in the air while in battle, perhaps because he was injured. war only brings death & suffering to everyone. He tells a “maiden,” or unmarried woman, that she should not weep. This particular kingdom is nothing more than a field where “a thousand corpses lie”. A Remake of a video I made back in high school.The reading is a poem called "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane. As you may have guessed, "War Is Kind" isn't about how war is kind, but the exact opposite: how war is just about the rudest, most awful thing ever. Maybe it was in surrender, or perhaps something darker happened and he was injured or even killed. War Is Kind. War Is Kind (1899) Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Because your father tumbled in the yellow And a field where a thousand corpses lie. How did Stephen Crane die? The poem is sometimes referred to by its first line, "Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind." Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky. But that doesn’t mean that there are moments of rhyme or techniques used to create rhythm. These are also scattered around the text and connect to one another due to assonance, vowel sound, or consonance, consonant sound. War Is Kind Summary The poem opens with a guy telling a maiden not to weep over her dead lover because war is kind; soon after, the scene changes and we're on a battlefield. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. The “rage” refers to his own thirst for war, and to the injury which killed him. Tags: Question 7 . Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. 30 seconds . answer choices . It’s a dark and terrible place, which is ruled over by a powerful force. There are, for example, numerous brief annotations suggest' ing that Stephen Crane'sinfatuation with … The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom 10 A field where a thousand corpses lie. 1851-1900. This weekly poem commemorated the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane. War is kind. On the bright splendid shroud of your son. If readers know about other pieces that he has written, the verbal irony in the poem should be quite apparent. It is “blazing” and pattered with a “crest of red and gold” and an eagle. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. "War is Kind" is a poem by Stephen Crane. The subject of the poem is war … He also speaks to a child and a mother, telling them not to cry in the face of death either. There is another moment of repetition in which the line “These men were born to drill and die” is used again. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to … Stephen Crane, born in 1871, was a prolific writer of poetry and fiction. When this happened, his “steed,” or horse ran alone. The title takes on a gentle yet harrowing irony as this poem powerfully evokes the human costs of war, both the victims of the battlefield and those left behind. In fact, the whole poem is written in free verse. Once, I knew a fine song,—It is true, believe me,—It was all of birds,And I held them in a basket;When I opened the wicket,Heavens! Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox. This is obviously a very unusual and likely ironic, thing to say. War Is Kind Page 2 Part III “The unexplained glory flies above them, great is the Battle-God, great, and his kingdom a field of a thousand corpses lie. In this five stanza excerpt from ‘War is Kind’ by Stephen Crane, the poet does not use any pattern of rhyme or rhythm. EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item tags) Want more? There are a number of different gods who could fit this description, but the exact name does not matter. The child’s father, who was in a battle of some kind died in “the yellow trenches”. War is kind. The poem “War is kind” is considered to be the brilliant example of the usage of it because of poem’s tone being rather bitter and sarcastic. The most powerful poems in the series are "War is Kind" and "The wayfarer..." Both are extremely insightful and are often published in high school literary anthologies. The bullet entered his body, driven by another’s rage. War is kind Item Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. Repetition is also an important part of the poem. War is kind. With the alliterative phrase “heart hung humble” the speaker describes the way she stood before his coffin. The unexplained glory files above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom—; A field where a thousand corpses lie. Make plain to them the excellence of killing. Tags: Question 6 . / War is kind” the poem starts to sound song-like. War is kind This is a very poignant part of his work. The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom—. He goes on to tell the woman that her “lover threw” his hands in the air when he was confronted with war. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. War is Kind By: Taylor Winbush Stephen Crane’s War is Kind is an anti-war poem written between 1871 and 1900. Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900) This weekly poem commemorated the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with “War is Kind” by Stephen Crane. In the first lines of ‘War is Kind’ by Stephen Crane the speaker tells a young woman that she shouldn’t cry because war is kind. War is kind. They are mechanical in their actions and in their purpose. The stanza ends with the repetition of the line “And a field where a thousand corpses lie.”, Mother whose heart hung humble as a button. The phrase little souls is interesting, it contrasts with the next lines which seem to suggest the men do not have souls. The heavy alliteration of the “h” sound in the first line creates a sense of heaviness of heartfelt by the mother. The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom 10 — A field where a thousand corpses lie. Analysis: “From War is Kind“ by Stephen Crane is a very pessimistic and sceptical poem on the theme “War”. Kind. 1871-1900. Do not weep. Likewise, what literary device is represented in the title of the poem War is Kind? In this poem, Stephen Crane indirectly involves the question of war, is it worth the loss of life and a limb? War is kind. There is no clear definitive answer to what this glory is, but it could refer to the ephemeral nature of glory itself. The speaker goes on to say that these men were born for nothing else other than to fight. © Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038. "War Is Kind" is a poem by Stephen Crane, known for his fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The refrain is again repeated. He speaks to the flag and tells it to make sure the men know that there is “virtue” in slaughtering one’s enemies and that there is “excellence” in killing. SURVEY . 5 Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. The poem offers a disturbing and scathing critique of war, the patriotism that inspires it, and the people who conduct it. In lines four through six of this stanza the speaker goes through some terrible images. “War,” he states, is “kind”. In the next two lines, the speaker says the soldiers are “Little souls” and are thirsting not for water, but “for fight”. War is kind. Crane's detailed snapshots of the fallen men in the first, third, and fifth stanzas evoke the savagery of war and its inherent cruelty. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. War is kind. The flag of the regiment is mentioned in the fourth stanza of ‘War is Kind’. Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom—. He tells the child that there is no reason to weep, and then provides them with a very good reason to do so. These two lines bookend the stanza, as they do with stanzas three and five. The subject of the poem is war and its effects. War is kind. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. They all flew away.I cried, “Come back, little thoughts!”But they only laughed.They flew onUntil they were as sandThrown between me and the sky. EMBED. He has moved on from addressing a woman to speaking to a young child. 1871-1923. A field where a thousand corpses lie. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.” This is an example of how the author makes his argument it explains in a spiritual sense that these men have a source of In the second stanza of ‘War is Kind’ the speaker plays with the previous reference to a “steed” and uses the word “Hoarse”. SURVEY . In the first stanza of ‘War is Kind’ the speaker begins by making use of the refrain. Summary of War is Kind . War. He had raged in his breast and in the simplest way, “gulped and died”. They were born to “drill” as in train and practice and then die. of War Is Kind. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. Point for them the virtue of slaughter, Make plain to them the excellence of killing And a field where a thousand corpses lie. In the last lines of the section, the speaker mentions a battle god. Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind. In the third stanza, the speaker begins by asking a “babe” not to weep. Librivox recording of War is Kind, by Stephen Crane. 'The unexplained glory flies above them', it seems that he is trying to make a very emotional and strong statement as he tries to question if during any war, the … For example, “regiment” and “fight” in stanza two. “War is Kind” itself is a 26-line poem in five stanzas focusing on the emotional loss of three women whose lover, father, and son, respectively, have died in war. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. Is. War is kind. War is kind. It is a technique used within all forms of poetry, but free verse writing can help to unify the lines. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. war is kind. Crane describes the heart as completing the action, a technique known as metonymy. 45 seconds . The simile “humble as a button” is somewhat surprising and it links with the “shroud” in the next line. It was “affrighted,” a complicated way to say frightened. To do something at the “drop of a hat” means that one is going to immediately do whatever it is they need to do. Q. Stephen Crane lived from what year to what year? War is kind. Because your father tumbled in the yellow trenches. They sound “hoarse,” as if they are sick or in need of something to drink. War is kind. Glory is not something that actively seeks out soldiers on the battlefield. Along with the refrain “Do not weep. In the fourth line the speaker references “unexplained glory”. The poem is sometimes referred to by its first line, "Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind." I explain the silvered passing of a ship at night, "I have heard the sunset song of the birches, Fast rode the knight Forth went the candid man You tell me this is … Her heart was on the “shroud” of her son, as simple as a button. The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom -- A field where a thousand corpses lie. The fifth stanza of ‘War is Kind’ is directed toward a mother who was faced with the loss of her son. So do lines three and six of stanza two with “die” and “lie.” These same endings are used again in the fourth stanza of the excerpt. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! In the first lines of ‘War is Kind’ by Stephen Crane the speaker tells a young woman that she shouldn’t cry because war is kind. War is kind. To the maiden A little ink more or less! He goes on to tell the woman that her “lover threw” his hands in the air while in battle, perhaps because he was injured. War Is Kind. Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky And the affrighted steed ran on alone, Do not weep. 5 Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. The login page will open in a new tab. War Is Kind Summary "War is Kind" is the first poem of Stephen Crane's second collection of poems, War is Kind and Other Lines, published in 1899, less than a year before he died. The excerpt ends with the speaker again telling someone not to cry, and that war is kind. For example, the endings of lines one and five of stanza one rhyme with the words “kind” and “kind”. 1841-1900. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. It is unclear what exactly happened to make the lover throw his hands in the air. In the poem "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane the two lines in the third Stanza read "Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches, Raged at his breast, gulped and died," This seems to be referring to mustard gas and trench warfare. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom. Swift blazing flag of the regiment, Eagle with crest of red and gold, These men were born to drill and die. The last two lines of this stanza are a reiteration of part of the first line, and the two statements which make up the refrain. acquired by the Syracuse Uni, versity Library with the Schoberlin Collection is a provocative doc, ument. This time though he is referring to the drums played by the regiment of soldiers. What the speaker is doing here is setting out a scene, which is ruled differently than other kingdoms. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die The unexplained glory flies above them Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom-- A field where a thousand corpses lie. "Have you ever made a just man?" The unexplained glory flies above them. Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind. (It shows the unhealthy condition of trenches; in reality most soldiers died … In the case of ‘War is Kind’ Crane uses and reuses the phrase “War is kind” five times in this excerpt alone. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. His description of the soldier's death is proper and extremely vivid. The statement is always preluded by another three-line phrase, “Do not weep”. This collection of poetry was not nearly as provocative as Crane's The Black Riders. In the next stanzas, the speaker describes how soldiers usually act in battle and how they are made to fight and die. Do not weep, babe, for war is kind. These are two directions both aimed at the “maiden” referenced in the first line. Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, brought to you by the experts, Home » Stephen Crane » War is Kind by Stephen Crane, Discover the best-kept secrets behind the greatest poetry. War is Kind By Stephen Crane Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind, Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky And the affrighted steed ran on alone, Do not weep. In addition to these full rhymes, there are half or slant rhymes. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. War is kind. The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom -- A field where a thousand corpses lie. Please log in again. Q. "War is Kind" is the first poem of Stephen Crane's second collection of poems, War is Kind and Other Lines, published in 1899, less than a year before he died. Another example is “kind” and “wild” in stanza one, which are related due to their similar long “i” sound. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. It is “bright and splendid”, thus suggestive of a ceremonial funeral. What says the sea, little shell? I saw a man pursuing the horizon;Round and round they sped.I was disturbed at this;I accosted the man. It is starting to become even more haunting as its deep irony is made clear. Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky And the affrighted steed ran on alone, Do not weep. I could ask the question, "Is the poet speaking about a real child of this soldier or perhaps referring to the unborn children of the thousands of soldiers that have died in all the worlds conflicts?" It is a reminder, and its reuse helps create a rhythm to the poem. Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. "It is futile," I said,"You can never—""You lie," he cried,And ran on. The unexplained glory files above them, Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom—; A field where a thousand corpses lie. BY DONALD P. VANOUSE The annotated copy of. It is something that spectators and outsiders from war imbue upon those who were in war. Verbal irony in the first stanza of ‘ war is kind. create rhythm Academy of American Poets 75. Against dementia kind ” and outsiders from war imbue upon those who were in.! 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