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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Soldier" by Alan Dugan is a deeply introspective poem that explores the internal struggles and existential reflections of a soldier. The poem is divided into segments that offer a nuanced look at the soldier's confrontation with his own identity and his understanding of the world shaped by his experiences. This examination is situated against a backdrop of harsh realities and stark images, which emphasize the contrast between the physical environments he has endured and the internal battles he faces. The opening lines, "Having felt and forgotten the wind during the time for wind and having burned in the sun to the color and heat of the sun," convey a sense of a soldier who has been so immersed in his environment that it has become a part of him. This initial depiction highlights his endurance and adaptation, suggesting a man who has not only weathered physical elements but has also absorbed them into his being. The use of repetition emphasizes his transformation and integration with nature's forces. Dugan describes the soldier’s capacity to "speak with candor of earth, of edible and poisonous fruits and of things that remain in the sun and accept night without shelter." This suggests a profound understanding of survival, both literal and metaphorical. The soldier has learned to differentiate what sustains life from what endangers it, an analogy that may extend to his experiences in combat—recognizing allies and threats, navigating danger and safety. However, the poem shifts into a more introspective and somber tone as it delves into the soldier's inner turmoil during moments of stillness: "But during the hours the wind didn't blow and no one moved who didn't have to move he saw himself and said, I am empty. I am invalid." These lines reveal a stark contrast between his external prowess and his internal desolation. The absence of action and external distraction exposes a hollow self-image and a feeling of invalidity, undermining any romantic notions of heroism typically associated with soldiers. He expresses a lack of representation, noting, "I represent no known abstraction with which to whip the squalid disasters to vanity." This indicates his disconnection from broader ideological or patriotic narratives that often justify or glorify military action. The soldier finds no comfort in such narratives, seeing them as inadequate in addressing the "squalid disasters"—a likely reference to the horrors and chaos of war—that he has witnessed. The concluding segment of the poem presents a distorted view of "home," which is no longer a place of comfort but rather a scene of alienation and artificiality: "And my eyes turn to a place where home is defined as sitting at ease at your favorite bar while verbal doubts and basic reservations are set up and shattered like empty bottles at a shooting gallery." This imagery suggests disillusionment with civilian life, where real emotions and relationships are replaced with superficial interactions and where genuine human connections are as transient as the shattering of bottles in a game. The soldier's vision of love, "performed with pin-ups and mannequins in lighted store windows, on Times Square at noon," further underscores the theme of alienation. Love is depicted as a public, commercialized spectacle, devoid of true intimacy or emotion—mirroring the emptiness he feels within. Overall, "Soldier" is a compelling examination of the psychological impact of war on a soldier. Alan Dugan uses stark, vivid imagery to explore themes of identity, alienation, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels as hostile and barren internally as the physical battlefields are externally. The poem challenges romanticized views of soldiering, presenting a more nuanced and painfully honest portrayal of the human cost of war.
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