Robert W. Service
“Flowers, only flowers — bring me dainty posies,
Blossoms for forgetfulness,” that was all he said;
So we sacked our gardens, violets and roses,
Lilies white and bluebells laid we on his bed.
Soft his pale hands touched them, tenderly caressing;
Soft into his tired eyes came a little light;
Such a wistful love-look, gentle as a blessing;
There amid the flowers waited he the night.
“I would have you raise me; I can see the West then:
I would see the sun set once before I go.”
So he lay a-gazing, seemed to be at rest then,
Quiet as a spirit in the golden glow.
So he lay a-watching rosy castles crumbling,
Moats of blinding amber, bastions of flame,
Rugged rifts of opal, crimson turrets tumbling;
So he lay a-dreaming till the shadows came.
“Open wide the window; there’s a lark a-singing;
There’s a glad lark singing in the evening sky.
How it’s wild with rapture, radiantly winging:
Oh it’s good to hear that when one has to die.
I am horror-haunted from the hell they found me;
I am battle-broken, all I want is rest.
Ah! It’s good to die so, blossoms all around me,
And a kind lark singing in the golden West.
“Flowers, song and sunshine, just one thing is wanting,
Just the happy laughter of a little child.”
So we brought our dearest, Doris all-enchanting;
Tenderly he kissed her; radiant he smiled.
“In the golden peace-time you will tell the story
How for you and yours, sweet, bitter deaths were ours. . . .
God bless little children!” So he passed to glory,
So we left him sleeping, still amid the flow’rs.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem depicts a soldier’s final moments, focusing on his peaceful, almost serene departure from life, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the comforting presence of loved ones. The speaker’s reflection on this poignant moment highlights the contrast between the horrors of war and the gentle, almost dreamlike peace that the soldier experiences in his last hours. The recurring imagery of flowers, sunshine, and song creates a bittersweet atmosphere, underscoring the soldier’s wish to be at rest after enduring the brutal realities of battle.
The first stanza introduces the soldier’s desire for flowers, symbols of beauty and peace. His simple request — “Flowers, only flowers” — speaks volumes about the human need for comfort and tenderness in times of suffering. The flowers are described as “posies” and “blossoms for forgetfulness,” suggesting that the soldier is seeking relief from the horrors of war, desiring to forget the violence and chaos that have scarred him. The flowers themselves, violets, roses, lilies, and bluebells, are delicate and ephemeral, further emphasizing the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of beauty.
As the poem progresses, the soldier’s wish to see the West one last time becomes a central theme. The imagery of the “rosy castles crumbling” and “bastions of flame” evokes the soldier’s fading consciousness, as if his mind is wandering through a dreamscape. The colors in this dreamlike vision — “opals,” “crimson,” and “amber” — create a warm, golden atmosphere, which contrasts sharply with the harsh realities of his past. The sunset and the falling light symbolize the end of his life, a peaceful surrender after the tumult of war. The mention of the lark singing and the soldier’s request to hear it before he dies adds to this feeling of tranquility. The lark’s song represents freedom, joy, and the beauty of life, yet it is bittersweet because the soldier will never experience such joy again.
The soldier’s yearning for the laughter of a child in his final moments adds a layer of poignancy. Children are often symbolic of innocence and hope, and the soldier’s desire to hear their laughter, even at the end of his life, underscores his longing for simplicity and purity amidst the chaos of war. When his loved one, Doris, is brought to him, the soldier’s reaction is one of tenderness and a deep, almost spiritual connection. His final words, blessing the children, reinforce the theme of self-sacrifice and the hope that future generations will be spared the agony of war.
The soldier’s death, though peaceful, is framed within the context of his battle-scarred existence. “I am horror-haunted from the hell they found me,” he says, acknowledging the psychological and physical toll war has taken on him. Despite this, the poem never lingers on the violence or suffering; instead, it emphasizes the serenity that surrounds the soldier in his last moments. The flowers, the lark, and the child all serve to create an atmosphere of quiet dignity, providing a sense of closure for the soldier and for those who have witnessed his passing.
In the final lines, the soldier passes away “amid the flow’rs,” and the poem leaves us with an image of peace, a rest from the horrors he has endured. The gentle passing is both a relief and a tragic reminder of the cost of war. The soldier’s death is not just the end of a life, but also the end of a story, one that speaks to the larger sacrifice made by countless individuals during the war.
The poem’s power lies in its quiet contemplation of death and sacrifice, capturing the contrast between the soldier’s inner peace in his final moments and the unimaginable trauma of war. Its focus on the simple yet profound elements of nature — flowers, song, sunshine, and children — suggests that, in the face of suffering, it is these small, human comforts that remain most precious. The poem, in its tender portrayal of death, challenges us to remember the cost of war, not just in terms of physical destruction, but also in the personal, emotional toll it takes on those who fight.