Joseph Lee
When this blast is over-blown,
And the beacon fires shall burn
And in the street
Is the sound of feet –
They also shall return.
When the bells shall rock and ring,
When the flags shall flutter free,
And the choirs shall sing, –
“God save our King”
They shall be there to see.
When the brazen bands shall play,
And the silver trumpets blow,
And the soldiers come
To the tuck of drum –
They shall be there also.
When that which was lost is found;
When each shall have claimed his kin,
Fear not they shall miss
Mother’s clasp, maiden’s kiss –
For no strange soil might hold them in.
When Te Deums seek the skies,
When the Organ shakes the Dome,
A dead man shall stand
At each live man’s hand –
For they also have come home.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem explores the theme of death and the ultimate return of soldiers, blending the rituals of victory and remembrance with the sorrow of loss. The speaker envisions a future moment when the aftermath of war has passed, when soldiers who perished during the conflict return, not as they once were, but in spirit, in memory, and in ceremony.
The poem opens with a hopeful vision of peace: “When this blast is over-blown,” referencing the end of the destructive force of war. The “beacon fires” burning and the “sound of feet” in the streets evoke images of celebration, suggesting that the war is over and the survivors have returned to their homes. Yet, even amidst the joy of peace, there is an acknowledgment that those who died in battle are also part of the homecoming. They “also shall return,” a return not in the physical sense but in the way their memory and sacrifice will be honored and embodied in the post-war celebrations.
The next stanza underscores the contrast between the solemnity of the past and the joy of the present. The “bells shall rock and ring,” the “flags shall flutter free,” and the choirs shall sing “God save our King” — these are the sounds of triumph, signaling a moment of collective celebration. Yet, even in the midst of this, the dead soldiers will be part of the crowd, represented by the “they” who “shall be there to see.” The repetition of “they shall be there” suggests the inevitability of their presence, but it is not the living soldiers who will be marching forward physically; it is the memories of the fallen that will resonate in the celebrations.
The mention of “brazen bands” and “silver trumpets” adds to the festive atmosphere, but once again, it is emphasized that the fallen soldiers—now part of the past—will still be there, in spirit, participating in the march “to the tuck of drum.” This line also carries a sense of tradition, as if the fallen soldiers are being incorporated into the ritual of military and national pride. The “soldiers come” line serves as a reminder that war is a collective experience, and while only some may physically return, all who served, whether dead or alive, have a place in the ceremony.
In the fourth stanza, the poem delves deeper into the idea of reunion: “When that which was lost is found.” It suggests that, when the living return to their loved ones, they will find that the absence of those who died in battle will not be a permanent loss. The imagery of a mother’s clasp and a maiden’s kiss invokes the idea of reunion with loved ones, but the line “no strange soil might hold them in” suggests that the dead are not truly gone. They are home again, in spirit, joining the living in the communal remembrance of war’s toll.
The final stanza brings the poem to a full circle, tying together the ceremonial aspects of a post-war victory celebration with the metaphysical presence of the dead soldiers. “Te Deums” (songs of thanksgiving) and the mighty sound of the organ shaking the Dome evoke the grandeur of a memorial service or a national day of remembrance. Yet, despite the grandeur, the poem reminds us that the dead have not truly left. “A dead man shall stand / At each live man’s hand,” meaning that each surviving soldier or citizen will stand in remembrance of those who gave their lives. The dead are home, not in the flesh, but in the rituals and songs that honor their sacrifice.
The beauty of the poem lies in its powerful fusion of joy and sorrow, celebration and remembrance. The “homecoming” of the soldiers is not a literal return, but one achieved through the collective memory and honor paid to those who fought and died. While the living march forward, the fallen are not forgotten—they are integrated into the triumph and the rituals of peace. The soldiers “also have come home” because they live on in the national consciousness and in the hearts of those they left behind.
Ultimately, this poem captures the complex emotions surrounding the end of war: the joy of peace, the solemnity of remembrance, and the recognition that the dead are never truly gone as long as their memory is kept alive through the acts of honoring and remembering.