Leslie Coulson
Who made the Law that men should die in shadows ?
Who spake the word that blood should splash in lanes ?
Who gave it forth that gardens should be bone-yards ?
Who spread the hills with flesh, and blood, and brains ?
Who made the Law ?
Who made the Law that Death should stalk the village ?
Who spake the word to kill among the sheaves,
Who gave it forth that death should lurk in hedgerows,
Who flung the dead among the fallen leaves ?
Who made the Law ?
But who made the Law ? the Trees shall whisper to him:
“See, see the blood – the splashes on our bark !”
Walking the meadows, he shall hear bones crackle,
And fleshless mouths shall gibber in silent lanes at dark.
Who made the Law ? At noon upon the hillside
His ears shall hear a moan, his cheeks shall feel a breath,
And all along the valleys, past gardens, croft, and homesteads,
HE who made the Law,
He who made the Law,
He who made the Law
shall walk along with Death.
WHO made the Law ?
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem is a powerful, unflinching condemnation of war and the senselessness of death. It challenges the very foundations of violence, questioning who is responsible for the devastation and the tragic fate of those who die in its wake. Through a series of rhetorical questions and vivid, almost grotesque imagery, the poem paints a harrowing picture of the horrors of war and the toll it takes on the land and its people. It places blame not just on the perpetrators of violence but on the unseen forces that create the conditions for such horrors.
The repeated question — *”Who made the Law?”* — serves as a central refrain throughout the poem, one that echoes with frustration and accusation. The “Law” here is not a legal decree or moral rule, but rather a destructive, unspoken force that dictates the bloodshed of war. The speaker seems to be asking who has the power to dictate such a grim fate, and why those in power — or those who set the rules of war — are allowed to perpetuate such senseless violence. It’s an existential question, as much about human nature as it is about the systems that perpetuate suffering.
In the opening stanza, the images of “shadows,” “blood splashing in lanes,” and “gardens… bone-yards” evoke a stark and haunting contrast between the natural beauty of the earth and the brutal violence inflicted upon it. The juxtaposition of death with nature, where gardens — symbols of life and growth — are transformed into “bone-yards,” makes the violence feel even more unnatural, as if it defies the very laws of nature. The violence described is not just physical but has an almost magical quality, as if the blood and death are spilling from some unknown, powerful source. The question *”Who made the Law?”* thus emphasizes the randomness and senselessness of war: who has the authority to turn life into death, beauty into destruction?
The second stanza builds on the theme of war’s intrusion into the everyday, peaceful life of the countryside. The speaker imagines death creeping through the fields, lurking in the hedgerows, and even hiding in the “sheaves” (the bundles of harvested crops), suggesting that death has seeped into every corner of life, even the most innocent. There’s a chilling sense that death is no longer a distant or abstract concept, but something that lives alongside the mundane, as if it’s an inescapable presence that haunts even the most serene spaces.
The final stanza shifts the responsibility of war to nature itself, as the land — the trees, the meadows, the bones — seems to take on a voice of its own. The “Trees” will whisper to the one who made the Law, showing that nature has witnessed and absorbed the violence. The trees have “blood-splashes” on their bark, the meadows are filled with the sounds of bones cracking, and the “fleshless mouths” are now gibbering in silence, a horrifying image of the dead speaking in the afterlife. The connection between the natural world and the horrors of war is made clear: the land itself has become a silent witness to the bloodshed, and the very earth that once supported life now carries the memory of death.
The speaker seems to suggest that those who caused the war — *”He who made the Law”* — will eventually have to face the consequences of their actions. The line *”He who made the Law shall walk along with Death”* is a final, damning judgment. It is as if the one who created the violence will be forever bound to it, walking alongside it as a constant companion. The repetition of the question — *”Who made the Law?”* — in this context is no longer just rhetorical but seems to demand an answer. It is a challenge to those in power, asking them to account for the suffering they have caused.
The recurring question of “Who made the Law?” becomes not just a question of political or social responsibility, but a profound moral and existential inquiry. It demands that those who wield power, who make decisions that affect life and death, must confront the consequences of their actions. There is a sense of inevitable retribution, where the violence and death unleashed by war cannot be easily dismissed or forgotten. The one who created the Law will, in the end, walk with Death, as if they, too, will be forever haunted by the blood they have spilled.
The poem’s stark imagery — blood on bark, bones in the meadows, fleshless mouths — creates a powerful emotional impact, calling attention to the brutality and futility of war. Through the repetition of “Who made the Law?” the poem echoes the anger and frustration of a speaker who cannot understand or accept the senselessness of death. The poem is a call for accountability, a plea for justice, and a warning to those who perpetuate violence: they will not escape its consequences.
In summary, this poem uses haunting, visceral imagery and rhetorical questions to forcefully critique the laws of war and the unfeeling nature of those who create them. It is both a condemnation of violence and a meditation on the long-lasting impact of war, not just on human beings, but on the land itself. The question *“Who made the Law?”* challenges us to consider who holds the power to cause suffering, and whether they will ever be held accountable for the death and destruction they have wrought.