John William Streets
Showers of shrapnel, scream of deadly shells ;
And broken lie the belfry’s prayerful bells
Amid the silent, ruined cloisters, where
Lonely, mute on His Cross, Christ hangeth there.
There Life is at ebb-tide ; even the air
Brings presage of swift death ; Earth’s bosom bare
Uplifted is in prayer unto the skies
While up to brazen Heaven are lifted eyes
Of stricken Mothers blinded with their pain ;
Weeping for those they ne’er will see again ;
Their hearts are numb beneath calamity-
No hope is left them, only memory.
The fire-swept leaves drift to an early tomb,
While Youth immortal find a noble doom-
Drift down to death in leaden hurricanes,
While scarr’d, near by, the crucifix remains
A symbol which men in their madness heed ;
Symbol of Love to which their hope doth speed
Upon the wings of prayer ; as there they die
The crucifix their end doth glorify.
For there when Life and Death end their dark feud
And Hatred veils its ugliness so nude ;
When man looks o’er the chaos vast and deep ;
When o’er her broken idols Love doth weep :
When peace blows from the south, another spring,
And men again of brotherhood do sing ;
When Mem’ry seeks her agony to drown—
Batter’d and scarr’d, Christ pitying will look down :
Look down from His lone Calvary of pain-
Has He died for humanity in vain ? —
Still brooding o’er the world for which He died,
Giving for men the life that they denied .
His lot Mount Olivet, Gethsemane,
The daily crown of scorn, dark Calvary,
As looking down on men He sees them give
Their souls to Hate when thro’ Love they may live.
Yet patient He looks down and tenderly ;
His hope is wring’d with immortality ;
He sees a time when on men He’ll look down
From Calvary wearing a kingly crown.
JULY, 1915 .
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem paints a harrowing and profound picture of war and its aftermath, contrasting the chaos and violence of battle with the enduring symbolism of Christ on the cross. The opening lines immediately thrust the reader into the brutality of war with “showers of shrapnel” and the “scream of deadly shells.” The belfry’s prayerful bells, symbols of peace and spiritual refuge, lie broken among the ruined cloisters, highlighting the destruction of both the physical and spiritual worlds in times of conflict. The image of Christ, “lonely, mute on His Cross,” is both a symbol of suffering and an enduring presence amid the horror.
The poem shifts its focus to the human cost of war, particularly the grief of mothers who lose their sons. Their “numb” hearts and “blinded” eyes reflect the despair and helplessness that comes with loss, a feeling that is exacerbated by the “calamity” surrounding them. These mothers are left with nothing but “memory,” and the speaker seems to suggest that memory itself is both a source of pain and a haunting reminder of what was lost.
The imagery of “fire-swept leaves” and the “lead hurricanes” further evokes the destruction of nature and life, while the crucifix that remains nearby serves as a reminder of love and sacrifice amid the devastation. In the midst of such destruction, the symbol of the cross represents not just the death of Christ but also the paradox of love in the face of violence. The poem suggests that the crucifix is revered by those who “heed” it in their madness—perhaps as a symbol of hope or redemption in the midst of human cruelty.
As the poem progresses, it moves toward a vision of eventual peace and reconciliation. The speaker looks forward to a time when “peace blows from the south,” when the agony of war is drowned by the healing power of memory, and when the broken idols of war give way to love and brotherhood. Christ’s patience and enduring hope are highlighted, as He waits for a time when men will finally turn away from hate and embrace the love that He offers. The closing lines ask whether Christ’s sacrifice was in vain, and suggest that, despite the violence of human nature, His love remains an unyielding force for redemption.
Overall, the poem presents a stark and poignant meditation on the futility and destructiveness of war, while also holding on to the hope of love and peace. The cross, as a symbol of Christ’s suffering and sacrifice, anchors the poem, offering both a critique of human cruelty and a vision for a future where love and forgiveness will triumph over hatred and violence.