Page 2: Aftermath and Psychological Impact
The second page of the "Remains poem Analysis PDF" delves deeper into the psychological aftermath of the killing and its lasting impact on the soldier. The poem's themes of guilt, conflict, and trauma are further explored through powerful imagery and metaphors.
The soldier's inability to forget the incident is vividly portrayed through lines like "His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol / I walk over it week after week." This imagery suggests that the memory of the killing has become a permanent part of the soldier's reality, haunting him even after returning home.
Quote: "his bloody life in my bloody hands"
This powerful line encapsulates the soldier's sense of responsibility and the weight of his actions, emphasizing the theme of guilt that permeates the poem.
The page also highlights the soldier's struggle with PTSD, as evidenced by the lines "he's here in my head when I close my eyes, / dug in behind enemy lines." This metaphor compares the intrusive memories to an enemy soldier, suggesting that the speaker's mind has become a battlefield.
Definition: Sibilance - The repetition of soft consonant sounds, often 's' sounds, to create a hissing effect in poetry.
The use of sibilance in phrases like "Sun-stunned, sand-smothered land" adds to the sensory experience of the poem, evoking the harsh desert environment and the lingering nature of the soldier's memories.
