Beds To The Front Of Them

In this poem, the speaker presents a striking tableau of a communal dining space, where rows of beds are arranged in a seemingly deliberate pattern. The lines Beds to the front of them, Beds to the right of them, Beds to the left of them, Nobody blundered create a sense of eerie normalcy, underscoring the idea that this arrangement is not a chance occurrence, but rather a carefully considered design. The speaker then shifts the focus to the diners themselves, who are depicted as a hungry and rowdy crowd, screaming and steaming as they await their meals. The image of the army rolls, steamed at by army rolls, is particularly evocative, suggesting a sense of industrial efficiency and mass production. The final lines, With coffee not cannon plied, Each must be satisfied, Whether they lived or died; All the men wondered, raise profound questions about the nature of sustenance and survival, highlighting the universality of the human need for nourishment, regardless of circumstances. The speaker's observation that All the men wondered suggests a sense of collective awe and curiosity, underscoring the poem's exploration of the human condition.