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Question: Translate this poetic verse for me!?
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN/TRANSLATE THE SECOND VERSE (STARTS FROM DEEP-SUNK AND FINISHES AT POLITICIAN’S BAG)!. I INCLUDED THE WHOLE POEM JUST INCASE!.
Conscript
"Of course, its done him worlds of good", they said,
"He's twice the man he was - a puny chap
he used to be, if you remember - always at books and that,
but since he joined
he's broadened out!. They've made a man of him;
You wouldn't know now"!.
Deep-sunk in rain-soaked ditch, with weeds and filth
stopping his mouth, the soldier lies;
swollen and black, his face turns to the skies
in blank, unquestioning stare, his body, tight
and big as flood-drowned pig, lurches and sways,
to wind and water!. Yes, he's broadened out -
he's twice the man he was; a pity, though,
his life should run, like bright oil down a gutter,
to implement some politician's brag!.
His world went out
through that neat hole in temple, quickly and easily
as words from windy mouths!. And loves unknown,
and skies unseen, and books unread,
forever lost, he's dead!.
You wouldn't know him now!.
FA Horn 1940Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The second verse portrays the bitter and cruel irony, that can only occur in war, of a line in the first verse, "Yes, he's broadened out - he's twice the man he was !.!.!." Remember the title "Conscript"!. http://www!.merriam-webster!.com/dictionar!.!.!. defines "conscript" as someone drafted into military service, i!.e!. against their will - forced to serve!. We have to start with the first verse!. It is a man speaking about how great the military is!. It takes a "puny chap" and makes him a great man, the exact words that provide the key to the second verse being, "he's broadened out!."
Basically in the second verse, the man is lying dead in the field of combat, and he's been dead long enough that his body is starting to bloat out!. The write brilliantly and strikingly presses upon us the horrors of war, by using a clever play on words!. Yes, he was puny, but now he's twice as big, but not in terms of character or even muscles, because HE'S DEAD AND ROTTING in a "rain-soaked ditch!."
Many poets have written about war, trying to show the true horrors of it!. I think this is one of the more effective attempts!. It's dreadful imagery, but immensely effective!
There are many awesome poems on war!. I found a good site at
http://www!.urdulove!.com/poet_intros_engl!.!.!.
I’ll just include one so you can see it and compare it a little with the one you’re asking about!.
The War shall End Tomorrow (By Sikandar Bughio)
Not far from the battlefield
A young girl sits resting on an unmarked grave!.
With every sound of explosion
Her grips on her teddy bears becomes tighter!.
She doesn't want to lose it, as she has done her parents!.
This used to be a garden!.
A place where birds loved to sing!.
A place filled with the smell of ten thousand flowers!.
A place where butterflies loved to bread!.
The sky now is covered with smoke!.
The smell of gun powder and rotting flesh fills the air
The butterflies and the birds are replaced by bullets and planes!.
Is this the garden in which her children will play!?
Tomorrow the war will be over!.
The bodies will be wrapped in flags and given as trophies to the families!.
Each side will declared their soldiers as heroes and salute their tombstone!.
A nation may have won!.
But humanity will surely lose!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The man (soldier) is dead!. Lying in a filthy ditch, bloated because he's decomposing !. He's been shot through the head!. The reason his stare is blank and unquestioning could be because he's dead, also because maybe he didn't question his role in the fighting and whether it was "just"!. The stuff about his having broadened out is about his body's swollen condition!. Sarcastically saying "he's twice the man he was"!. It's a pity that his life should be sacrificed to the manipulation of politicians who huff and puff and strut about bragging that they are in the right!.While other people (NOT the politicians!) lose their lives in consequence!.Www@QuestionHome@Com