Softly and humbly to the Gulf of Arabs
The convoys of dead sailors come;
At night they sway and wander in the waters far under,
But morning rolls them in the foam.
Between the sob and clubbing of the gunfire
Someone, it seems, has time for this,
To pluck them from the shallows and bury them in burrows
And tread the sand upon their nakedness;
And each cross, the driven stake of tidewood,
Bears the last signature of men,
Written with such perplexity, with such bewildered pity,
The words choke as they begin -
'Unknown seaman' - the ghostly pencil
Wavers and fades, the purple drips,
The breath of wet season has washed their inscriptions
As blue as drowned men's lips,
Dead seamen, gone in search of the same landfall,
Whether as enemies they fought,
Or fought with us, or neither; the sand joins them together,
Enlisted on the other front.
_____________________________________________
German Translation
Strandbegräbnis
Ergeben und sanft zum Golf der Araber
Kommen die Konvois der toten Matrosen;
Nachts irren sie schwankend im Wasser tief unten,
Doch der Morgen läßt sie im Schaum rollen.
Zwischen dem Schluchzen und Knüppeln von Geschützen
Hat jemand, so scheint es, die Zeit gefunden,
Sie an seichten Stellen aufzusammeln und in Reihen zu begraben
Und den Sand über ihrer Nacktheit festzutreten;
Und jedes Kreuz, ein getriebener Pfahl aus Treibholz,
Trägt die letzte Unterschrift eines Mannes,
Geschrieben mit solcher Bestürzung, mit solch verwirrtem Mitleid,
Die Worte ersticken, sobald sie beginnen -
“Unbekannter Seemann“ - der gespenstische Stift
Zittert und verblaßt, das Purpur tropft,
Der Atem der nassen Jahreszeit hat jede Inschrift
Blau wie die Lippen der Ertrunkenen gefärbt,
Tote Seemänner, fort, denselben Landfall zu suchen,
Wo sie sich als Feinde bekämpft,
Oder mit uns kämpften, oder keines davon, im Sand jetzt zusammen,
Angeworben an der anderen Front.
Notes
A poem of the Second World War in both English and German
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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From guest Big Matt (contact)
It is 12 years since I completed my HSC and I still remember this poem well. I look at the comments made by current students and they are very stereotypical (not meaning to pick on anyone but terms like 'futility or war' excetera are widely used and little understood). I suggest reading a good historical war book like Galipoli, The Great War (forgotten the author of these two) or Tobruk (Fitzsimons) and then return to the poem. You will have a greater appreciation of what Slessor has expressed. -
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for Big Matt
I have to applaud your comment. This particular poem has had more comments deleted than are actually shown here. It's used as a school project at times and unfortunately the teaching staff are not checking on the students who are being ridiculously obtuse and disrespectful and have no obvious understanding at all. This poem has been referred to as 'gay' so many times, it's impossible to count.
Your reading suggestions are very useful and perhaps should be included in the school curriculum before allowing students to graffiti this and other poems with little or no understanding of the content.
Von - Oldpoetry Team
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Observations of a HSC Student
From guest Student (contact)
We are currently studying this poem for our Advanced English module. It is quite a fascinating poem, dealing with the futility of war and the meaningless of conflict in death. If you like Slessor I would suggest "Five Visions of Captain Cook" and "Five Bells". -
Beach Burial
Please correct a typo in the English version. In the first line of the second stanza, "of gunfire" should read "of the gunfire".
Who did the German translation? Surely it wasn't Slessor.
Beach Burial is regarded as one of the finest Australian poems to come out of WW2. I don't think Slessor meant to say anything about war being futile. Rather he was observing compassionately that all sailors are equal in death, regardless of on which side they fought. Most of all, he was simply doing what he did best as a poet, evoking in a few carefully chosen images and verbal brushstrokes a vivid picture of a scene. -
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Seasinger: Could you quote your source for the 'typo' I've checked many sites and 'the' doesn't appear. Unfortunately I don't own a book of Slessor's poetry to check against myself. Thanks, Von
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Beach Burial
Various anthologies of Australian poetry, including the Penguin Book of Australian Verse (1958), of which Slessor was one of the editors, and the Faber Book of Modern Australian Verse (1991) edited by Vincent Buckley. Somewhere I have a Slessor collected but can't find it.
I haven't seen the poem without that 'the' before. If there are many sites on the Internet without it, it shows how errors can multiply and get perpetuated there! -
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Thanks for the information. I have now corrected the line mentioned. You are quite correct about the perpetuation of errors, that's why it's so important for people to inform us of anything incorrect. Thanks for your help. Von
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From guest Your Hallucination (contact)
Although the poem appears to be about death at war the final stanza: "Dead seamen, gone in search of the same landfall, Whether as enemies they fought, Or fought with us, or neither; the sand joins them together, Enlisted on the other front." Reveals the theme of the anonymity of death and equality experienced by the deceased. I shows that no matter what we were in life we are all the same when dead. I studies Slessor shortly in year 10 and hated him, but now, in year 12, I'm studying him again and my opinion has changed completely, expecially about this poem. I still abhor Sleep, though. -
Just in the mood to come back and read some old poetry ... still has a great impact on me as the reader even after the many number of time I have read this piece.
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Beach Burial
From guest Thomas (contact)
This poem really explains how futile war is and how damaging it is as well, those buried would have had family's who would never see them again. Amazing -
Beach Burial
From guest Dulce et Decorum Pro Patria Mori (contact)
This is such a good poem. I'm doing it for my english essay!!! -
beach burial
From guest SMEX (contact)
i have studied this poem a few time and everytime i study it i get more out of it its so deep and very insiteful(if thats how you spell it) -
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Beach Burial
From guest Ethan (contact)
This poem is very touching and must have required great time to give such great detail in passion and truth. -
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Fantastic!
From guest Doug (contact)
This poem is just great. I blends the beach, a happy place, and a burial, a sad and mournful place, together to create a vivid and well writen masterpeice! -
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Impressive
I find it to place a comment on this poem...i was first exposed to it in primary school and it has stayed with me since then....it gives rise to much emotions powerful and leaves a lasting impression on the readers minds...it did then and still does today and all lot of years in between. -
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Beach Burial.
From guest Tori (contact)
The word 'beach' is usually a happy word, however, once Slessor joins it to the 'burial', which usually has a sad or gloomy connotation, the reader can prepare for a depressing, ominous poem. -
Beach Burial
From guest mallissa (contact)
i would like to say i enjoyed this poem and it gives a insight into what was happening in these times. -
nice poem
From guest daniel (contact)
i think it focuses on the futility of war and presents an anti-heroic end for solidiers -
From guest Carolyn Padilla (contact)
Beautifully written, sad yet, intense and emotional. The poet writes with so much vivid imagery; it takes you to the shore and the sands of enlistment. The wisdom from time past always repeats itself. -
bloody brilliant
From guest tom mc (contact)
love the concluding stanza, i believe Slessor is exploring the realism of death as a result of something as futile war through the memory of these "convoys of dead sailors" -
Owen V Slessor
From guest feral (contact)
Good but not as good as Wilfred Owen. While Slessor has real and true insight into the futility of war I believe that Wilfred Owen portrayed a more vivid image of war and its results. -
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very good
From guest troy (contact)
the poem shows the futility of war and the even if your enemie or allie you end up in the same place (dead) kenneth slessor is a true inspiration to all poets. R.I.P Kenneth slessor -
i like i like
From guest bernadette (contact)
i think this poem is a really good one for all the people out to sea an other stuff -
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Awesome
From guest -------- (contact)
i think that this poem is so comforting and so beautiful love the way the texture works -
intense emotions... the irony and reality of truth and being buried as unidentified person... in a war
but sure they have the identification of brave soldiers...
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Awesome Poem
Depressing to read, but he brought the scene to life so vividly - I could close my eyes and hear the waves on the beach, see the bodies rolling in the surf. Knowing a bit of the history of WWII it makes the poem very hard to read. Sad, the lost of life - I won't say pointless, but so unnecessary. -
thought prevoking
In retrospect war seams so futile but unfortunatly at times of war the injustice on our fellow man out ways the futility
God bless our brave Soldiers, sailors and airmen for our freedom -
if only people read this poem now in these times of war.
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Can't say much to a deceased person but for respects sake, i enjoyed this piece simply because you took on an issue of war and made it beautiful by forming poetry for it.
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i really enjoyed your poem. we are studying it at the moment in english i cant wait to leaen more about it. as it is an interesting piece of work. and it sounds like it has a very strong meaning to it which i really like too...
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yeah good poem, very engaging and respectful
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comments reposted from original poem deleted due to continuous spamming.
....... on Mar 21, 2004 said: (203.51.69.53)
its about ww1 and Australian anzac's
Sundance on Mar 25, 2004, 8:30
Try a little Oldpoetry its good for the....., 5337 critiques. said:
Written with total sincerity and I feel no doubt that Kenneth Slessor witnessed this or the like during WW11. For those were not there - which is the large majority, poems such as this one help us to understand the privations of these men, in war situation.
The poignant last stanza - all the men fighting each other, now dead - joined together by sand.
~Von~
Edited on Aug 04, 6:24 p.m. because ''.
rachel on Apr 23, 2004, 11:12 p.m. said: (144.138.25.118)
Verdict: very good
i think this poem is an emotive poem about the realism of death in war. When he describes "And each cross, the driven stake of tidewood" he is giving us metanyms between the stake and tidewood. since the men have died in the sea (on the beach) and stakes are a weapon used for killing, he gives us vivid inmagery of death. The experiences that Slessor endured must have been a personal hardship which forcde him to write this very moving poem. i enjoyed reading it because of its reality and truth. it doesn't "beat around the bush".
rachel (reply?)
AVoiceWithin on Apr 24, 2004, 9:16
Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional, 845 critiques. said:
wow good job...really good job
nokie on Apr 24, 2004, 9:17
Wow! Are those real?, 536 critiques. said:
I don't know what i thought of this it was kind of confusing, im in a kind of hyper-active mood so it was hard to concentrate all the way through but i got the main jist of it. I never would of thought to write a poem on this issue and never could so i thought it was great that you tackled it. Well done this was a great piece and you probably know and have been told a thousand times but you have some talent, good luck with your poeting career and thanx for the interesting read!
Nokie xx.
squirrell on Apr 24, 2004, 9:22
Verdict: great
, 155 critiques. said:
this piece was very vivid and emotional, i really appreciated reading it and i wanted to tell you thank you for sharing it with us.. i wanted to ask you what inspired you to write this piece and what you felt why you were writing it. knowing this will really get someone in touch with the artist.. and i also wanted to ask if you would check out some of mine..
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU..
matt aka squirrell (reply?)
kerri-anne on Jul 28, 2004, 9:50 p.m. said: (10.16.46.96)
this peice was so emotional it mad me have a total different view on the war. As a year 12 student i am about to write an essay on it and i am glad to say that ithis is one hell of a poem (reply?)
... on Aug 04, 2004 said: (144.138.74.211)
This poem is great, im studying it for a yr 11 english oral on poetry and i fell in love with it. One thing is, Slessor wrote this during or after WWII not 1, he was still in NSW during WWI
David (email) on Aug 10, 2004 said: (203.220.134.165)
I think that beach burial gives an insight into the war which could only have been portrayed by a person who was on neiter side but rather merlley an onlooker. Its pictorial effect and descriptive tone tells me much about war which i never would have discovered from simple news reports and recounts. i feel that Keneth Slessor has captured the attention of the Audience in such a way that many poets cannot. I rate this war poetry very highly.
pozo on Aug 10, 2004, 6:56
I do not obey men with, 10916 critiques. Currently online. said:
I like how he wrote this, such a vivid and sad account of the burial of soldiers within war. Such a wonderful poem, he wrote this really well and it has encouraged me to look at more of his work since this is the first of his poems I've ever read.
CATHY (email) on Aug 11, 2004, 9:55 p.m. said: (10.82.40.175)
THIS POEM IS INTERESTING BUT QUITE HARD TO ANAYLSE IM DOING AN ASSIGNMENT ON THIS POEM BUT I DONT QUITE KNOW HOW TO ANAYLSE THE POEM ....... I QUITE LIKE WAR POEMS BECAUSE I GET AN IDEA OF HOW LIFE WAS AND ITS DIFFCULTIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stella on Sep 08, 2004, 2:03 said: (203.219.195.166)
I thought it was a very powerful poem,in the sense that it had a strong history attatched to it. Although I didn't appreciate it as much as real poets do, it still was an emotinal rollercoaster for me as as I read it through over and over again.
Jimbo on Oct 29, 2004, 11:58 p.m. said: (210.49.81.221)
Oh come on people, he died in 1971. Yeah Kenneth was quite an extradinary writer, though in the time he was writing this during WWII he was an Australian Official War Correspondant....so he was writing about the hardships of war for everyone back home, he must have seen some of the worst scenes in history. Anyways a great poem, i love it, it truly reflects the brutality of war and the waste of life
Casual Comedy on Nov 05, 2004, 2:07
Slessor captures the naked purposelessness of war and death in war. The sailors' graves are impoverished, as they lay forgotton on the beach. Soldiers are tools in war and the only use they have is to fight in a war that leads to so much destruction. On their graves they do not carry the usual marks of pity and respect afforded to the dead. There is no ritual, no ceremony nor any meaning attached to their deaths.
In the poem, the arythmic, purposeless and ceaseless motion of the sea mirrors the purposelessness of the sailor's deaths. Just like the war, the sea moves irregualrly and seemingly has no purpose and is never resolved. The waves of the oceans can be seen through the line structure, a motion mimicing the sea.
Given that this was Slessor's final poem-that stark reality of what he saw in Nth Africa killed whatever motivated him to write in the first place. This peom seemingly argues that there is little if any purpose in life if it can be so easily and uselessly wasted in war.
Throughout the poem Slessor's view of war can be read as usless, wasteful and the horrible human act of war. 'Beach Burial' reveals the anti-heoric, demythologised, and unsentimental end for so many combatants in war. Until the reader reaches the last 3 lines of the peom, in which the lines become ambigious. The last 3 lines can be interpreted in a numbers of ways, I myself have had trouble with finding one meaning. Could it be these men have found heaven through this devestation? Is it an end of despair? Or no matter what happens in the end humans are the same, lifeless and pruposeless like the motion of the sea?
In reference to the last 3 lines it seems ironic that enemies can be united-but only in death.
Sundance on Nov 06, 2004
Try a little Oldpoetry its good for the....., 5337 critiques. said:
This poem was written during Slessor’s time in the Middle East during World War II as a war correspondent. It is considered by many to be Australias finest poem of War.
This man's job was to write factual comment however I feel that dues to the intensity of his War poetry he was no ordinary journalist. He was deeply affected by the War, the death and misery it brought. who could not be forever changed from seeing men's bodies being washed in and out with the tide. Powerful and poignant.
~Von~
Edited on Nov 06 because ''.
fats0 babe (email) on Nov 07, 2004, 1:20 said: (202.155.29.5)
i was asked to write comment on poetry for my EsL assignment and i choose this poem. i found that is' kinda hard for me to understand the 4th stanza. what does it mean with the ghostly pencil and bla..blaa....is it just the imagery devices of the poem or really mean something?! my favourite part is the 3rd and last stanza. they'r really touching and have very vivid imagery. the assonances in 3rd line of the first 3 stanzas have successfully built the mood. in "the convoys of dead sailor" can it be counted as personification? because in my opinion dead men can't convoys right?! although this is a very gloomy poem for me but i love it for the ideas and emotion that kenneth slessor tried to bring on. salutation.....
EvE (email) on Nov 07, 2004, 4:55 said: (202.158.124.241)
I did this poem for my last assessment. when I looked at this poem, I felt that this poem is interesting. I didn't really know why. The poem was clearly describing war, how war was a useless thing...but the rhythm and rhyme were quite hard to be talked about. But what I really don't understand is about the imagery. I really don't get that in the poem. Can somebody help me???
Chris on Nov 16, 2004, 3:37 p.m. said: (216.37.190.133)
i had to analyse this poem in my senior year... took me a while, but it is a great poem - as i found out...
makes you think doesn't it?? it's only now that i am really starting to understand all our soldiers went thru for us, for each other.. but as the 'casual comments' say, it is ironic that enemies are united in death, and what a strange way for it to happen, thru war, yet in the very sand they lay on after they killed each other.
enjoy the poem, it's strong, slessor did a great job...don't ignore it, take it to heart, research it... it's interesting, well written
we think of ooohhh 1000 American soldiers lost during this war on Iraq, but can you imagine CONVOYS of dead soldiers washing up on the beach?? can you even IMAGINE?? it is amazing, the sacrifice
and for fats0babe... if i can recall correctly, there was a special kind of pen way back when, that wrote... i think invisibly?? or it disappeared or something... oh my memory is fading, but i did learn about it when i researched the poem... anyway, it wrote in purple ink... something like that anyway, so it does have special meaning.
Trevor (email) on Dec 07, 2004, 5:37 p.m. said: (211.26.5.205)
This is such a powerful poem capturing death as no one else has. It reveals the utter waste of human life in the fertility of war. This was in WW11, but wars go on and will continue to until Mankind has peace and love and kindness in his heart towards his fellow man.
Tabua on Jan 31, 5:20 said: (203.220.132.139)
Comparing this poem to Wilfred Owen's "Anthem for Doomed Youth". Kenneth Slessor creates a sense of pathos in this poem, emotion beyond sympathy. In the "Anthem", Owen describes the anger behind war, placing you right in the action, making you feel like you are standing next to a soldier, your own gun in hand. Personification has been created through onomatopia to give a Sticato rhythm. "Beach Burial" however, flows smoother in its stanzas, perhaps because it is talking about the distance from war? Because it is further away. I think the point that Slessor is trying to make is that when your far away from the front, at home, in the city, observing through the media, war itself seems 'ok'. Yeah, its depressing to see all of the bodies being washed ashore, nameless soldiers, but when your right in there, right in amongst all of the 'action', war is angry.
stephanie (email) on Feb 17, 8:33 p.m. said: (203.10.121.82)
it was good thank you
Scott Fraser (email) on Feb 28, 8:03 said: (144.131.195.99)
During the war Kenneth Slessor would have experienced and seen very gruesome scenes. This is shown in the Beach Burial Poem. Was it states in the 3rd stanza, the convoys of dead sailors. He describes in his poem how the dead looked and the scenery through his poem. This is an extremely emotional poem about the realism of death in war. When he describes "And each cross, the driven stake of tidewood" he is giving us an example between the stake and tidewood. Since the men have died in the sea (on the beach) and stakes are a weapon used for killing, he gives us the sense of death. The experiences that Slessor endured must have been a very emotional time which forced him to write this very moving poem.
It is considered by many to be Australia’s finest poem of War.
IM only 13 lol
Pierre Richards on Mar 02, 2:24 p.m.
Aut insanit homo, aut versus facit, 1536 critiques. said:
When you read Von Klause (sp), and understand his words; "War is the sex between Nations, to serve a political means", then Sessor's piece here comes to full fruit.
When any nation goes to war, the lives of its people become the pauns of that intercourse, as in sex, it is always violent, and when it is between nations, it is amplified.
As in sex, many morals, rights, and privacies are lost, equally so in war.
I see what Slessor is saying here, and the image is one that should always be looked at before any country goes to war.
I feel this will be a piece that will live for many centuries to come.
Edited on Mar 02, 2:26 p.m. because ''
phillipa (email) on Mar 14, 10:55 p.m. said: (10.0.1.151)
i loved this poem. i am only 17 years old but i have loved this poem since the first time i read it 4 years ago. i did not grow up with the wars but i am very interested and intriged by the wars and what life was like for poeple at that period of time in our history. to me this poem presents and forms a picture, in my mind of what war was like for the average person. beach burial inables me to jump right in to that period of time and feel the emotions that the people held during times of war and the emotions that Kenneth Slessor had the intention for us to feel from his poem. Beach burial is a beautifully, well written poem that tells the stroy of so many people.
Ellen on Mar 16, 11:48 p.m. said: (210.84.48.231)
I've just had to study this poem, with others, for senior english and i am actually in the middle of an asessment extended response and this was one of my chosen poems to study. The stark, raw, harrowing detail made me horrifyingly interested in it. The srong pure emaotion and pain expressed through it really touched me and made me think. My favorite line is "the words choke as they begin". The line could not be simpler, but the emotion held within it is so crushing, i actually found myself choking inside as i read it. It's so lonely and creates so much empathy that i hardly knew what to think after i read it the first time. Did i like it or was it so shockingly horrible that i didn't want to face it? I ended up loving it. What also attracted me was that the end had some kind of resolution. War is pointless. These men who couldn't even have granted to them, the dignity of a name on their cross died, along with their enemies, just to end up joining them in death and proving nothing...
Quintin (email) on Mar 17, 1:49 said: (203.80.165.110)
that some emotional stuff. well done! hi mum!
chelsea (email) on Mar 20, 10:52 p.m. said: (203.102.59.200)
awesome poem so much depth
TIM on Mar 21, 1:07 said: (203.221.238.132)
GOOD POEM
scott oneil on May 02, 2:54 said: (138.130.69.118)
it was brilliant so inspiring i loved it the way it just flowed just amazing
Kris on May 09, 1:43 said: (210.49.12.37)
a really touchin poem
ANNe (email) on May 21, 10:07 p.m. said: (203.164.58.245)
i love Kenneth. i think that he wrote with such passion, so much better than Shakespeare!!!!! I love this poetry!!!
tom on May 23, 3:49 said: (210.50.73.161)
i love the rhythm of the poem in the first stanza. It is in the same rythim as if the waves are rolling in.
Rose (email) on May 31, 8:41 p.m. said: (203.202.120.157)
I think the loss of identity throughout war is portrayed as heart wrenching and an unjust issue. Kenneth Slessor’s Beach Burial ultimately implies that a soldier’s identity means nothing whilst at war - Dead seamen, gone in search of the same landfall,/Whether as enemies they fought,/Or fought with us, or neither; the sand joins them together,/Enlisted on the other front. SO POWERFUL!!
Evan E on Jun 14, 6:29 p.m. said: (203.166.96.235)
was a great poem made me excited every time i read it, each time the descriptive words gave more indepth meaning each time.
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