Poem in Your Pocket/Poem on Your Blog Day
I just got a message from a guy on Orkut who, inspired by Poem in Your Pocket Day, suggests that we blog about our favorite poems. So here's mine: Spelling by Margaret Atwood. Once, in a Modern Poetry class in college, we had to write a paper in which we did a close reading of a poem. I chose this one, and the more I read it and thought about it, the more it affected me. It's the only poem that has ever made me cry. Parsley by Rita Dove has come close, too.
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A favorite poem strikes and ironic chord with our current wars.
I come from a family with a strong military tradition. I was a soldier for 7 years then left when I became politically aware. This poem moves me whenever I read it. It is very appropriate with our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A little know fact is that people serving in our countries armed forces are required by law to support the Presidents desicion thus all the news reports stating the soldiers are behind the war. The soldiers are mandated to do so by our constitution. This poem speaks of a soldiers duty and place in unfortunate situation like our current wars though the event in the poem took place hundreds of years ago in the crimean war.
Llew Montgomery
The charge of the light brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
Reply!
Well said, Llew.
Mom