Spirit of Anzac

AnzacBy Mike SubritzkySpirit of

They clad us in the colours of the forest,

and armed us with the weapons made for war.

Then taught to us the ancient trade of killing,

and lead us to the sound of battles roar.

So give us comfort as we lay down bleeding,

and pray upon our cold and stiffened dead.

But mark our place that we might be accounted,

this foreign soil becomes our graven bed.

Now children place upon this stone a garland,

and learn of us each Anzac Day at dawn.

We are New Zealand's dead from distant conflict,

our sacrifice remembered ever more.

About the authorMike Subritzky is one of New Zealand's best known war poets. He has an international reputation and his work appears in numerous books, CD's, and anthologies. His poetry and verse is often read onNational New Zealand RadioonANZAC day.He is the first New Zealand poet to have his war poetry read at Westminster Abbey and the first to have his poetry read at ANZAC Corner, Hyde Park, London.

What is the poem about?This poem is explaining what happened and what they felt. It shows how they were armed for war and how they were killed and what they wanted people to do. Its a good insight to war.Key points are uniform: NZ is forest colours Talks about ANZAC Day

What techniques have been used?Rhyming couplets-War, roar, Dead, bed,

Metaphor-They clad us in the colours of the forest

Personification-lead us to battles roar

Sourceshttp://www.warpoetry.co.uk/MikeSubritzkyNZwarpoet_09.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mike_subritzkyHow to dieSiegfried sassoon

18

Dark clouds are smouldering into red

While down the craters morning burns

The dying soldier shifts his head

To watch the glory that returns

He lifts his fingers towards the skies

Where holy brightness breaks in flame

Radiance reflected in his eyes

And on his lips a whispered name

Youd think, to hear some people talk

That Lads go west with sobs and curses

And sullen faces white as chalk

Hankering for wreaths and tombs and hearses

But theyve been taught the way to do it

Like Christian soldiers; not with haste

And shuddering groans; but passing through it

With due regard for decent taste

About the Author

Siegfried Sassoon was a poet & soldier of the first world war. He was born in 1886 and lived long after the war ended and died in 1967. He is now respected as one of the leading poets of the first world war.His style of poetry describes war is it really was, terrifying and horrible, compared to many other poets of the time which glorified it.

About the poemThe poem is about a dying soldier and the poets opinion of how soldiers should die. In the first paragraph he describes a dying soldiers final moments as he remembers the things he loves. In the second paragraph, he explains that although people think that lads go west with sobs and curses, they dont. Instead, they die Like Christian soldiers with due regard for decent taste

Poetic techniquesRhyme It has a consistent AB AB rhyming patternMetaphors There are a lot of indirect comparisons made such as Dark clouds are smouldering into red, where the poet is comparing the blood on the battlefield and the dull sceneSimiles e.g. sullen faces white as chalk and Like Christian soldiersIdioms Go west is another way of saying die so Lads go west with sobs and curses would be Lads die with sobs and curses

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