Guillaume Apollinaire
There are wolves of all kinds
I know the most inhuman
My heart that the devil takes it
And that he leaves it at his door
Is nothing more than a toy in his hand
The wolves once were faithful
As are the little doggies
And the soldiers lovers of the beautiful
Gallantly in memory of them
As the wolves were gentle
But today the times are worse
The wolves have become tigers
And the Soldiers and the Empires
The Caesars become Vampires
Are as cruel as Venus
I have made up my mind Rouveyre
And mounted on my big horse
I will soon go to war
Without pity chaste and with a severe eye
Like those warriors that Épinal
Sold Popular images
That Georgin engraved in wood
Where are they these beautiful soldiers
Soldiers gone Where are the wars
Where are the wars of yesteryear
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
The poem explores the transformation of violence and war, using the metaphor of wolves changing into more vicious creatures, such as tigers and vampires, to highlight the increasing brutality of both soldiers and empires. The speaker reflects on how things once seemed more noble, with soldiers being likened to faithful wolves, gentle in their loyalty. In contrast, the current state of war is described as being far more savage, with soldiers and empires turning into ruthless figures akin to “Caesars” and “Venus”—figures once associated with power and beauty now corrupted into cruelty.
The first stanza sets the tone with a stark image of the speaker’s heart, which is “nothing more than a toy in [the devil’s] hand,” suggesting the complete manipulation of human will by forces of evil. This sense of powerlessness is central to the poem, reinforcing the feeling that humanity’s fate is no longer in its own hands.
The metaphor of the wolves, initially faithful and gentle, shifts to a far more ominous tone as the wolves are described as becoming tigers. This imagery indicates that the nature of warfare has evolved into something far more dangerous and untamable. The change from wolves to tigers emphasizes the increase in violence, as tigers represent not only strength but predatory instinct—signifying a more destructive force at play. Similarly, the soldiers of the past, once seen as loyal warriors, are now compared to vampires—predators who drain the life from others without remorse, suggesting the loss of nobility and honor in the act of war.
The speaker’s desire to join the war, mounted on his horse like a soldier of the past, evokes a sense of romantic nostalgia for past wars and battles. This is made even more poignant with the reference to the images sold in Épinal and engraved by Georgin—illustrating how, in earlier times, war was often glorified and memorialized in art. The question, “Where are the wars of yesteryear?” reflects a longing for the days when war was viewed through a more idealized lens, one where soldiers fought with honor and loyalty, rather than the brutal, dehumanizing violence seen in modern conflicts.
Ultimately, the poem critiques the transformation of warfare from something that once had a sense of nobility and purpose to something far darker and more destructive. The speaker’s internal conflict, caught between nostalgia for a glorified past and the stark reality of modern war, offers a poignant commentary on the dehumanizing nature of conflict. The poem’s imagery, drawn from nature and history, forces the reader to confront how war has evolved and the toll it takes not only on soldiers but on the very idea of what it means to fight.