'Jack fell as he'd have wished,' the mother said,
And folded up the letter that she'd read.
'The Colonel writes so nicely.' Something broke
In the tired voice that quivered to a choke.
She half looked up. 'We mothers are so proud
Of our dead soldiers.' Then her face was bowed.
Quietly the Brother Officer went out.
He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies
That she would nourish all her days, no doubt
For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes
Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy,
Because he'd been so brave, her glorious boy.
He thought how 'Jack', cold-footed, useless swine,
Had panicked down the trench that night the mine
Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried
To get sent home, and how, at last, he died,
Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care
Except that lonely woman with white hair.
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This poem highlights the hypocrisy of some aspects of military life.
No matter how bad a soldier someone is the regiment close ranks to outsiders and rarely speak ill of their own.
Also, having encouraged and enlisted so many men into a fight where each one could make a difference they must maintain this falsehood when reporting the meaningless deaths such as the one described here.
The efforts that the military went to, to prevent the general public knowing the lengths some soldiers would go to to get a "blighty wound".
Even the ancient phrases long since made false such as "brother officers" and the unspoken "officer and a gentleman" which even in those days were becoming ridiculous are used to create a false image.
But despite the falsehoods and the futility the pretence is worthwhile for the sake of "that lonely woman with white hair". For her love is blind to all that soldiers faults. -
I wonder if the key to the poem is in the last two lines:
"Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care
Except that lonely woman with white hair."
It's not so much a poem of cowardice, as it is the callousness of man. Whether he lived or died didn't matter, what did is that he served the cause, that his humanity was submerged to win some nameless hill or hold some imaginary line.
"Brother Officer" it's an interesting phrase, ironic I assume, for they were not in anyway "Brothers-in-arms."
. Rewarded 8
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From guest Alice (contact)
i liked the poem because it shows the false realities that everyone clings to to survive. sassoon certainly did a good job -
Such respect shown to the Mother, and she, left with the knowledge that her son died bravely and honourably. Jack's officers could not tell her the truth, perhaps thinking that losing her son was enough to bear without knowing that he was a coward and no one mourned his loss. As a Mother that would have been far too much for her to live with. How difficult for a Commanding Officer to choose his words so carefully so the contempt for Jack the Coward didn't show through. Through no fault of his own, I believe, Jack was a symbol of so many youths of this time. Merely boys, expected to act as men, but how could they know just what was expected of them? Whether a man died perceived as a coward or not, the First World War should never have happened, those boys and young men should have been at home looking forward to a long life, not being blown to immeasurable pieces in a far-off trench in a foreign country.
Jacks's mother was allowed to keep her dignity and i feel that is the base of this poem. -
!!! + GCSE
From guest Lily Blossom (contact)
Anyway... I like this poem a lot. It is very hard-hitting and that is why I have chosen this one to do my essay on for English.
I like this poem. Sassoon was a magnificent poet. He is definitely one of the best poets of his time. -
Not the best, but close enough
From guest Stella (contact)
This is not my favourite Sasson poem but it is certainly very good. I don't find it as easy to understand quite as much as some of the others, but it doesn't stop it being marvellous. I'm doing war poetry for my English Lit GCSE, will go write on this poem now... -
hmmm
From guest abi (contact)
i am studying this poem for my GCSE's this is my favourite war poem because the poem was about depicting the truth , not some kind of manipulative , brainwashing propaganda. Even thought many people were brave in the war and became heroes, who can really blame jack for panicking? He was probably very young and it must have been terrible for anyone that had to fight. Its well written the way sassoon has revealed the truth about the situation and it shows both sides of the story. It really makes you think about how people were told lies to keep them happy but this doesn't mean they craved the truth. Nobody wants to think of their son or relation as a coward. Thats why so many people tried to cover up family members who had committed suicide in the trenches , rather like suicide in the trenches. -
the hero
From guest nicola (contact)
i liked the way the riming patten went as i am staing war time poetry for my g.c.s.e i also like the way the writer comes across i thisw is my fav poem -
From guest Ellie (contact)
A very sarcastic poem, has a great sense of bitterness towards the brother officer don't you think? Makes you feel really quite sympathetic towards 'Jack' and his mother. Random, but what form would you say the poem is written in? And yes i agree that the last bit is meant ironically. -
From guest Eddie Brecht (contact)
what an incredible poem, quite similar to, "The deserter" by Winifred Mary Letts??? -
A beautiful poem, so sad. A real war poem, thinking of those left behind, the mother proud of her son...sniff.
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Kind of ironical the last part. But perhaps the irony is intended as it is, or perhaps not. Though it's still there.
I liked the beginning minus the 'bowed' line in the beginning, didn't really care for the form in rhyming that gave. But I do like the beginning and the subtle yet as well somber ending.
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