hi my teacher has asked to me compare the poem "lamplight" with how war is presented in a transcript. i am ok analysing the transcript but find it hard to see how war is presented within this poem:
We planned to shake the world together, you and IBeing young, and very wise;Now in the light of the green shaded lampAlmost I see your eyesLight with the old gay laughter; you and IDreamed greatly of an Empire in those days,Setting our feet upon laborious ways,And all you asked of fameWas crossed swords in the Army List,My Dear, against your name.

We planned a great Empire together, you and I,
Bound only by the sea;
Now in the quiet chill Winter's nightYour voice comes hushed to me
Full of forgotten memories: you and I
Dreamed great dreams of our future in those days,
Setting our feet on undiscovered ways,
And all I asked of fame
A scarlet cross on my breast, my Dear,
For the swords by your name.

We shall never shake the world together, you and I,
For you gave your life away;
And I think my heart was broken by the war,
Since on a summer day
You took the road we never spoke of: you and IDreamed greatly of an Empire in those days;
You set your feet upon Western ways
And have no need of fame -There's a scarlet cross upon my breast, my Dear,
And a torn cross with your name.

any help will be appreciated

The narrator is someone left behind- her loved one has gone off to war and died. Think about how she portrays herself- is she angry?, resigned? Did she know what war's cost could be? (You took the road we never spoke of...) Would she let someone else she loved go off to war?

pam

Re-posted due to possible formatting glitches in the one above:


We planned to shake the world together, you and I.
Being young, and very wise;
Now in the light of the green shaded lamp
Almost I see your eyes
Light with the old gay laughter; you and I
Dreamed greatly of an Empire in those days,
Setting our feet upon laborious ways,
And all you asked of fame
Was crossed swords in the Army List;
My Dear, against your name.

We planned a great Empire together, you and I,
Bound only by the sea;
Now in the quiet of a chill Winter's night
Your voice comes hushed to me
Full of forgotten memories: you and I
Dreamed great dreams of our future in those days,
Setting our feet on undiscovered ways,
And all I asked of fame
A scarlet cross on my breast, my Dear,
For the swords by your name.

We shall never shake the world together, you and I,
For you gave your life away;
And I think my heart was broken by war,
Since on a summer day
You took the road we never spoke of; you and I
Dreamed greatly of an Empire in those days;
You set your feet upon the Western ways
And have no need of fame -
There's a scarlet cross on my breast, my Dear,
And a torn cross with your name.


Strange meter and rhyme scheme, and some disjointed sentences as well, from what I can see on first reading. Not altogether unpleasant, no. I'm guessing he could not have loved her, dear, so much, loved he not honor more.