Jessie Pope
Why do we cheer those brown-faced boys with pride,
Why do dense crowds press round on every side,
Why do we throw them flowers, our hearts aglow?
Well—turn a minute to three years ago.
A moonlit beach—a cliff of scrub and bush—
The creeping, crowded boats—a breathless hush—,
A cranch of keels —a leap, a shallow splash—
And then Inferno, thunder, blaze and crash.
“Straight as a bayonet”—riddled where they fell;
Hacking the wire, across that strip of Hell;
Those untried heroes—husky and blood-drenched—
Hurled back the Turkish outposts —and entrenched!
The thing that was impossible was done!
From the beginning thus have Britons won.
So, year by year, in words of fire and gold,
The Anzacs’ glorious landing shall be told
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem speaks to the enduring admiration for the Anzac soldiers, particularly their heroic actions during the Gallipoli campaign in World War I. From the outset, it grapples with the question of why these soldiers, with their “brown-faced” appearance, are cheered and celebrated. The answer is rooted in a profound sense of pride that ties back to their remarkable bravery and the sacrifices they made, particularly during the fateful landing at Gallipoli.
The poem starts by asking why these soldiers inspire such admiration, before quickly redirecting us to a time three years prior, evoking the haunting images of the Gallipoli campaign. The description of a “moonlit beach” and the “creeping, crowded boats” instantly sets the stage for what is to come—a moment of tense anticipation, followed by the chaos and terror of battle. The words “a breathless hush” and “a cranch of keels” evoke the quiet before the storm, as the soldiers prepare to face an almost impossible task. The imagery is vivid, painting a picture of the quiet tension that would soon give way to the “Inferno, thunder, blaze and crash” of the landing, signaling the violence and devastation that ensued.
The poem quickly shifts from the calm of the beginning to the brutality of battle. In stark contrast to the quiet anticipation, the soldiers are thrust into a horrific scene, “riddled where they fell” and “hacking the wire” across “that strip of Hell.” The phrase “untried heroes” is poignant, as it highlights the fact that these soldiers were not seasoned warriors, but ordinary men thrown into an extraordinary situation. Their heroism is implied not only in their actions but in the sheer absurdity of the odds stacked against them. “Husky and blood-drenched,” they fight on, continuing their mission despite the chaos and devastation surrounding them.
The poem celebrates the Anzac landing as a turning point, with the line “the thing that was impossible was done” suggesting that, against all odds, these soldiers accomplished something monumental. Their success, despite the overwhelming challenges, becomes emblematic of the British spirit and resolve. The line “From the beginning thus have Britons won” reflects a sense of national pride, tracing the legacy of victory through history.
The closing lines bring us back to the present, where the Anzacs’ “glorious landing shall be told / Year by year, in words of fire and gold.” These words convey the enduring legacy of the Anzacs, not only in their own time but in the generations that followed. The soldiers’ bravery at Gallipoli is presented as a tale that will continue to be recounted, a story of heroism passed down through history.
In this poem, the sense of collective memory and national pride is palpable. The poet highlights not just the physical courage of the Anzac soldiers but also the emotional weight carried by their legacy. There is a tension between the brutality of war and the honor given to those who fought in it—a tension that makes the poem both a tribute and a meditation on the meaning of sacrifice. The poem’s strength lies in its ability to encapsulate both the horrific realities of war and the lasting admiration for those who fought through it, leaving us with an enduring image of heroism that transcends time.