Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The War in the Air" is a poem by Howard Nemerov, first published in 1943. The poem is a reflection on the destruction and devastation caused by aerial warfare, and the contrast between the beauty of the natural world and the destructive power of human technology.

Explanation:

The poem opens with an evocative description of the natural world: "The trees, their dark outlines / Against a sky half warm with evening / And half a cold sky lit / With sharp stars, fade as they sway." The scene is peaceful and idyllic, suggesting a world untouched by human conflict.

However, the peace is shattered by the arrival of a bomber plane, which disrupts the tranquility of the landscape with its "savage roar." The plane drops its bombs, and the narrator describes the devastation that follows: "The trees ripped up / In splinters, and the earth / In fresh raw gashes opened."

The poem then turns to an examination of the motivations behind such destruction. The narrator imagines the thoughts of the pilots who carry out these bombings, suggesting that they are driven by a desire for power and control: "They will have seen / The targets through their bombsights, / Pale visions flickering by, / And set their minds accordingly."

The final stanza of the poem returns to the peaceful natural world, but with a sense of sadness and loss: "The trees stand empty, / Nothing alive in them, not even / The birds that could have flown / Out of the earth again."

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with irregular line lengths and no regular rhyme scheme.
• Imagery: The poem is rich in sensory imagery, particularly in its descriptions of the natural world and the devastation caused by the bombing.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is melancholic, with a sense of sadness and loss at the destruction wrought by human conflict.
• Symbolism: The natural world is portrayed as a symbol of peace and tranquility, while the bomber plane and its destructive power symbolize the destructive tendencies of humanity.

Conclusion:

"The War in the Air" is a powerful meditation on the impact of human conflict on the natural world. The poem uses vivid imagery and powerful symbolism to convey the devastation caused by aerial warfare, and to reflect on the motivations behind such destruction. At its heart, the poem is a plea for peace and an acknowledgment of the tragic consequences of war.

Snippet:

"They will have seen

The targets through their bombsights,

Pale visions flickering by,

And set their minds accordingly."