Wirers

By Siegfried Loraine Sassoon

Narrative Poem
    "Pass it along, the wiring party's going out" -     And yawning sentries mumble, "Wirers going out,"     Unravelling; twisting; hammering stakes with muffled thud,     They toil with stealthy haste and anger in their blood.     The Boche sends up a flare. Black forms stand rigid there,     Stock-still like posts; then darkness, and the clumsy ghosts     Stride hither and thither, whispering, tripped by clutching snare     Of snags and tangles.          Ghastly dawn with vaporous coasts     Gleams desolate along the sky, night's misery ended.     Young Hughes was badly hit; I heard him carried away,     Moaning at every lurch; no doubt he'll die to-day.     But we can say the front-line wire's been safely mended.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This haunting piece of war poetry uses vivid imagery and a somber tone to depict the brutal reality of life in the trenches. The poet employs the use of personification and metaphor to create a tangible sense of dread and fear that pervades the poem. The "wiring party", "yawning sentries", and "clumsy ghosts" are powerful symbols of the dehumanizing effect of war, reducing soldiers to mere cogs in the machinery of conflict.

The structure of the poem, with its irregular rhyme scheme and rhythm, mirrors the unpredictability and chaos of war. The poet uses a variety of literary devices, including alliteration ("mumble", "muffled") and onomatopoeia ("thud"), to craft a soundscape that immerses the reader in the battlefield's eerie quietude, punctuated by sudden, jarring noises. The theme of the poem is the tragic waste and futility of war, underscored by the final line's grim irony: the "front-line wire's been safely mended", but at the cost of a young soldier's life. The poem is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict, and the sacrifices made by those on the front lines.

Exploring Narrative Poetry

Narrative poetry is a form of poetry that tells a story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and characters as well. Unlike lyric poetry, which focuses on emotions and thoughts, narrative poetry is dedicated to storytelling, weaving tales that captivate readers through plot and character development.

Narrative poems are unique in their ability to combine the depth of storytelling with the expressive qualities of poetry. Here are some defining characteristics:

  • Structured Plot: Narrative poems typically have a clear beginning, middle, and end, following a plot that might involve conflict, climax, and resolution, much like a short story or novel.
  • Character Development: Characters in narrative poems are often well-developed, with distinct voices and personalities that drive the story forward.
  • Descriptive Language: The language used in narrative poetry is vivid and descriptive, painting a clear picture of the scenes and events, while also conveying the emotions and atmosphere of the story.

From ancient epics like "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to more modern narrative poems, this form continues to engage readers by blending the art of storytelling with the beauty and rhythm of poetry.