Robert Nichols
1. In the Grass: Halt by the Wayside
In my tired, helpless body
I feel my sunk heart ache;
But suddenly, loudly
The far, the great guns shake.
Is it sudden terror
Burdens my heart? My hand
Flies to my head. I listen…
And do not understand.
Is death so near, then?
From this blazing light,
Do I plunge suddenly
Into vortex? Night?
Guns again! the quiet
Shakes at the vengeful voice…
It is terrible pleasure
I do not fear; I rejoice.
2. On the Way Up
The battery grinds and jingles,
Mile succeeds to mile;
Shaking the noonday sunshine,
The guns lunge out a while
And then are still a while.
We amble along the highway;
The reeking, powdery dust
Ascends and cakes our faces,
With a striped, sweaty crust.
Under the still sky’s violet
The heat throbs in the air…
The white road’s dusty radiance,
Assumes a dark glare.
With a head hot and heavy,
And eyes that cannot rest,
And a black heart burning
In a stifled breast,
I sit in the saddle,
I feel the road unroll,
And keep my senses straightened
Toward to-morrow’s goal.
There over unknown meadows,
Which we must reach at last,
Day and night thunders
A black and chilly blast.
Heads forget heaviness,
Hearts forget spleen,
For by that mighty winnowing
Being is blown clean.
Light in the eyes again,
Strength in the hand,
A spirit dares, dies, forgives
And can understand.
And best! Love comes back again
After grief and shame,
And along the wind of death
Throws a clean flame!
The battery grinds and jingles;
Mile succeeds to mile;
Suddenly battering the silence
The guns burst out a while.
I lift my head and smile.
3. Nearer
Nearer and ever nearer….
My body tired but tense
Hovers ‘twixt vague pleasure
And tremulous confidence.
Arms to have and to use them,
And a soul to be made
Worthy if not worthy;
If afraid, unafraid!
To endure for a little.
To endure and have done:
Men I love about me,
Over me the sun!
And should at last suddenly
Fly the speeding death:
The four great quarters of heaven
Receive this little breath.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem powerfully captures the psychological and emotional experience of a soldier caught between fear, resignation, and fleeting moments of clarity in the midst of war. It is divided into three sections, each showing a different stage in the soldier’s journey, from initial fear to acceptance of the inevitable and, finally, the strange sense of peace that comes with the closeness of death.
The first section, *In the Grass: Halt by the Wayside*, introduces a moment of stillness and uncertainty. The soldier feels the weight of his “tired, helpless body,” and the sudden, jarring presence of the guns makes him question his very existence. The repeated echoes of the distant artillery create an unsettling feeling, symbolizing the impending threat of death. The soldier’s response to the noise is one of confusion and terror, but there is also an odd sense of exhilaration: “It is terrible pleasure / I do not fear; I rejoice.” This line captures the complex mix of fear and adrenaline that soldiers often experience, where danger and excitement intertwine.
*On the Way Up* shifts to a more reflective tone, describing the journey through the harsh landscape of war. The rhythmic sounds of the battery and the heavy dust create a monotonous, suffocating atmosphere. The soldier’s exhaustion is palpable, but it is contrasted by his steely focus on the “morrow’s goal.” This tension between physical weariness and mental determination forms the emotional backbone of the poem. The “mighty winnowing” mentioned in the middle of the section suggests a purification process, where the hardships of war strip away the excess and leave only the essential—an understanding of life, death, and love. There is also a sense of clarity, where love is “clean” once again after the darkness of war, symbolizing the emotional rebirth that can arise from intense trials.
By the time the soldier reaches the third section, *Nearer*, there is a resigned acceptance in his thoughts. The constant proximity of death is no longer feared but instead welcomed as an inevitable part of the journey. The phrase “nearer and ever nearer” serves as a metaphor for the soldier’s journey toward both physical and emotional resolution. The line “To endure for a little. / To endure and have done” encapsulates a brief, quiet acceptance of fate, the realization that there is nothing left but to endure until the end. The soldier expresses a peace, despite the chaos and violence surrounding him, as he contemplates the finality of death. The notion that “The four great quarters of heaven / Receive this little breath” suggests that even in death, there is a kind of dignity and release—a sense that the individual will become part of something larger than themselves.
Through this progression, the poem effectively conveys the internal conflict and eventual resolution of a soldier’s experience in war. The repeated imagery of guns and the journey underscores the tension between destruction and endurance, while the moments of reflection and acceptance show the soldier’s eventual reconciliation with his fate. The poem speaks to the heavy burden of war, not just in terms of physical suffering, but also in the emotional and psychological toll it takes. Ultimately, it is a meditation on survival, the human capacity to endure, and the quiet moments of peace that can arise even in the most violent of circumstances.