Flower on your grave- a withered poppy
Your lone grave stood there- solitary, worn
No one to honour you, no one to weep for you,
Shrouded by a fog of woe and melancholy,
Your dignified soul was so forlorn.
Icicles hanging on delicate branches,
Shimmering splendidly in obscured sunlight.
Oh my dear, dear husband, how they resembled you so!
Their clearness- Your virtue, everyone remembers,
Their splendour- Your valour, which soldiers in war delight,
Their coldness- Your strong will, though the ivory snow stained blood rose.
Your steady jaws brushed my words away; your strong arms resisted my embrace.
You gave up your life without a doubt, for your people, for your country’s sake.
A palette of orange hues, a shy maiden peeking from behind the clouds.
She showers your grave with light, a breathtaking halo in sight.
Though “Adieu”, we shall bid you forever,
Though your war efforts were disavowed,
She recognizes your sacrifice; your patriotism, she knights.
A gift, an acknowledgement you won’t forget ever.
Type of poem: Elegy
2 literary devices:
Repetition and nature imagery.
Repetition can be found in Lines 3,9,10,11,12,16 and 17.
The purpose of repetition in Line 3 is to show that sacrificing yourself for war is
not worthwhile as nobody will bother about you, despite the mental and physical
burden you have been through, and is also to allow readers to sympathise with
soldiers in war. This repetition contributes to the message of the poem, which is
anti-war. The repetition in Lines 9,10 and 11 is to show the love of the wife for the
soldier, who is the husband, and to emphasize that soldiers are great and should be
admired for giving themselves up for their country. On the other hand, the repetition
in Line 12 is to imply that the deceased is a patriotic person and that even his lover
cannot stop him from sacrificing himself for the war. Lastly, the