Revisiting Caroline Gardner Clark Bartlett inspired me to search through war-themed poetry, specifically poems written in response to World War I. Sara Teasdale wrote
Spring in War-Time at the dawn of World War I. As we edge closer to spring in our own time of war, Sara's nearly 100-year old words prove timeless.
Spring in War-Time
by Sara Teasdale
| I FEEL the spring far off, far off, | |
| The faint, far scent of bud and leaf | |
| Oh, how can spring take heart to come | |
| To a world in grief, | |
| Deep grief? | |
|
| The sun turns north, the days grow long, | |
| Later the evening star grows bright— | |
| How can the daylight linger on | |
| For men to fight, | |
| Still fight? | |
|
| The grass is waking in the ground, | |
| Soon it will rise and blow in waves— | |
| How can it have the heart to sway | |
| Over the graves, | |
| New graves? | |
|
| Under the boughs where lovers walked | |
| The apple-blooms will shed their breath— | |
| But what of all the lovers now | |
| Parted by Death, | |
| Grey Death? | |
|
Anastasia Suen is hosting today's Poetry Friday at
Picture Book of the Day. Check it out!
5 comments:
So sad.
a very powerful poem.
thank you, andy.
jet
Now that is a very different look at spring. Thanks for sharing!
I debated whether or not to share this poem. It's not exactly uplifting. In the end, I thought it acknowledged the dark reality so many people live with day in and day out. I suppose if it moves you, even to sadness, that's not a terrible thing. I only hope I didn't bring the room down too much!
Andy, I love the simplicity of this poem, the repetitive phrasing like sad heartbeats.
Mur
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