Charles Sorley
I SUCCESS
He does not dress as other men,
His ‘kish’ is loud and gay,
His ‘side’ is as the ‘side’ of ten
Because his ‘barnes’ are grey.
His head has swollen to a size
Beyond the proper size for heads,
He metaphorically buys
The ground on which he treads.
Before his face of haughty grace
The ordinary mortal cowers:
A ‘forty-cap’ has put the chap
Into another world from ours.
The funny little world that lies
’Twixt High Street and the Mound
Is just a swarm of buzzing flies
That aimlessly go round:
If one is stronger in the limb
Or better able to work hard,
It’s quite amusing to watch him
Ascending heavenward.
But if one cannot work or play
(Who loves the better part too well),
It’s really sad to see the lad
Retained compulsorily in hell.
II FAILURE
We are the wasters, who have no
Hope in this world here, neither fame,
Because we cannot collar low
Nor write a strange dead tongue the same
As strange dead men did long ago.
We are the weary, who begin
The race with joy, but early fail,
Because we do not care to win
A race that goes not to the frail
And humble: only the proud come in.
We are the shadow-forms, who pass
Unheeded hence from work and play.
We are to-day, but like the grass
That to-day is, we pass away;
And no one stops to say ‘Alas!’
Though we have little, all we have
We give our School. And no return
We can expect for what we gave;
No joys; only a summons stern,
“Depart, for others entrance crave!”
As soon as she can clearly prove
That from us is no hope of gain,
Because we only bring her love
And cannot bring her strength or brain.
She tells us, “Go: it is enough.”
She turns us out at seventeen,
We may not know her any more,
And all our life with her has been
A life of seeing others score,
While we sink lower and are mean.
We have seen others reap success
Full-measure. None has come to us.
Our life has been one failure. Yes,
But does not God prefer it thus?
God does not also praise success.
And for each failure that we meet,
And for each place we drop behind,
Each toil that holds our aching feet,
Each star we seek and never find,
God, knowing, gives us comfort meet.
The School we care for has not cared
To cherish nor keep our names to be
Memorials. God hath prepared
Some better thing for us, for we
His hopes have known, His failures shared.
_November 1912_
© by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes
You may find this and other poems here.
Analysis (AI Assisted)
This war poem stands in stark contrast to the heroic and idealized depictions of success that often dominate narratives of war and struggle. Rather than glorifying achievement, it delves into the lives of those left behind, the “wasters” and “failures” who are overlooked by society, particularly within the context of an educational or institutional system that prioritizes outward accomplishment.
The first part of the poem, titled “SUCCESS,” mocks the hollow nature of traditional measures of success. The speaker describes a man whose appearance and attitude are exaggerated—his “kish” is loud, his “side” large, and his “head swollen,” all symbols of someone who has been elevated in status. Yet, despite these outward signs of achievement, the poem suggests that this kind of success is superficial. The man’s sense of superiority is isolated from the common people, depicted as mere “buzzing flies” in his world, who are all “aimlessly going round.” The contrast here isn’t between good and bad people but between the inflated sense of success and the true worth of individuals, who might not conform to societal expectations.
The second part of the poem, “FAILURE,” gives voice to the outcasts, those who fail to meet these standards of success. They are the “wasters,” who do not have hope in this world or fame, because they cannot follow the prescribed paths of power and intellect. The poem gives a bleak depiction of their lives, highlighting their inability to succeed in the way society expects them to. The speaker points out that, despite their failure, they still give all they have to the system—perhaps a metaphor for how those who are forgotten or ignored still contribute in ways that go unrecognized. These individuals find no reward, only a summons to depart when they are no longer deemed useful.
Yet, amidst this grim portrayal of failure, there is a quiet resilience in the poem. The “failure” of these individuals is juxtaposed against a divine understanding. The poem suggests that, while society may dismiss them, God does not favor success over failure. There is comfort in the knowledge that God’s expectations are different from society’s. The poem ends on a hopeful note, with the idea that these failures, though unappreciated by the world, are part of a greater plan, and that God values them for their struggles and sacrifices.
The imagery in the poem effectively communicates the tension between societal views of success and failure. While the successful man is portrayed as inflated and isolated, the failures are depicted as humble, resigned, and without the fanfare typically associated with achievement. The speaker’s voice is critical of a system that rewards outward success while neglecting the deeper, less visible struggles of individuals.
In a war context, this poem could be interpreted as a reflection on the soldiers who are often forgotten after the fight is over, the ones who return home not as heroes but as the “failures” in the eyes of society. It speaks to the broader theme of what it means to be valued or overlooked, especially in times of war. The message of the poem, however, transcends this specific context; it addresses anyone who feels that their worth is measured solely by society’s standards of success, and it offers solace by suggesting that true value comes not from accolades but from endurance and faith.
Ultimately, the poem gives a voice to those who are typically silenced in discussions of success and war, turning the narrative away from glory and toward a more profound, inward understanding of struggle and worth.