Forum Post: A Soldier's cry

This short poem is about a soldier’s simple & just thoughts, who wants to live and let live, everybody in harmony and freedom. The charm of this poem , that this is factual rather than fictional. The current time of war-full scenario with a global anti-political awakening movements, is fit for back ground of this poem. It’s a beautiful fuel for understanding the inside wishes of everybody who just ponder or have a simple understanding of life, like our soldier. A soldier in army of his country is crying for peace, when he was inducted without his intention into the war.

“The inducted me “ (2) He didn’t want to kill any human being. But he had to go through court-martial, and attributes like coward, yellow etc.. Same things happened when he died during injury. His officers called him brave and his family to be our pride. Whereas, he clarify to say them liars and cruel coward rather Hero. The speaker of poem is a commissioned soldier, who is explaining his position between hero and villain , wishing the powerful nations for peace and prosperity. He is representing the common and affected people by this contention of wars. "They called me yellow” (4)

The audience are people who are peaceful, know little about wars and fighting. They thought, they have been deceived by their leaders. It addresses the people who own and want a harmonious environment without discrimination and cruelty in the territory. The time of this poem is very crucial, that make it interesting and easy to get. When at the one hand are the global wars, and at the other due to disturbances of internal economical infra-structure of the global, peoples are on the roads against the present system. This real situation favorable to fit this poem in current situation. " I did not shoot." (7) "They said I had no guts." (8)

The poet has a full knowledge of situations and uses very good verses and words which are fit for the occasion. This gives the amazing, factual taste in a simple way to the reader. This truthful tone of poem makes it very interesting to audience. The fact about soldier’s life, is that he was in a conflict between principles of Humanity and Duty. But his selection was really appreciable. The beauty of diction can be seen in the selection of words like “The inducted me “ (2) “They called me yellow” (4) “In safety I died” (11) Hero: The conflict ; who is hero ? Is that hero who kills other human beings as a duty or that person who save them. Is hero, a Gun or Flower. He didn’t to terrorize the people. He wanted peace. The examples of paradox are where officers after the death of soldier called him a brave and their and hero. But he never opted for battle, because he knew the precious values of freedom and humanity are worthwhile. So he was disagreed with the policy of his government. He wanted peace as most people do. "They said they were proud of me." (21) "I had been ashamed of them." (22) The imagery also shows that he was not happy over his selection. But he tried hard to run away, he said; “They court-martialed me” (6) After the irony produced as ; “They said my mother should be proud” (23) Where she was weeping and crying for her son. They were falsifying the truth at my home town. So the title of hero can’t be justified this soldier of fight. He was a peaceful but forced to kill people and they called him a hero when died. But the hero is that who is fighting and opposing the oppression for the freedom of land. So, the death of soldier and expressions of him before and after death clearly justify the idea of hero. The central idea there may a peaceful land on this earth that is really beautiful, public is happy, harmonious environment without lust, hate and revenge. As, of today, this poem is far from reality, because the world is pretty much away from such, as above described, serenity. Leadership, today is thrust for power, money and showment. In this case no body either a soldier or a common people , or a parent want wars and killings. Then Question is who want it ?? This may be an ideal peaceful world that soldier wished it, for.

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Work Cited

Poem: Speaking : The Hero

Poet : Felix Pollak