Witmans Calvalry Crossing the Ford and Cranes War Is Kind :: essays research papers

US Clergyman Henry Emerson once said, The tragedy of fight is that it uses mans best to do mans worst." And I insure with him. What is it about the human race and war anyway? Well, Carl von Clausewitz also said that, "To secure peace is to prepare for war." I also agree with that. War is an ironic subject at times. And war can also be a way of life for some people. Walt Whitman and Stephen Cranes poems direct no similarities and they both have different ways in writing about war.     In Whitmans poem, Cavalry Crossing a Ford he writes about a Cavalry marching off to war. From my research, Whitman recreates a scene from Union General Lovell H. Rousseaus raid through Alabama in July 1864, when his troops were crossing the Coosa River at Ten Islands Ford. He brings to life his poem by describing many details about the Cavalrys surroundings by using lots of opthalmic imagery. It has much visual imagery considering the length of the poem. Whitman also writes using free-verse. The vocalizer in the poem is taking his time to view nature he isnt in a rush to go to war. War is not what the speaker wants to think about. He wants to savor what may his last moments. For he knows that when he crosses the ford, he may not return home alive.     In Cranes poem, War is Kind he writes about how war is kind, though in reality, war it isnt. War is never kind. The speaker is telling a maiden not to cry for her unfounded lover. He tells child to not cry over his dead father, and for a mother not to cry over her her dead son. Crane uses lots of irony in this poem. Which leaves the reader thinking the speaker is cold hearted. The speaker in Cranes poem is sarcastic about war and is sardonic in his perspectives considering war. Although underneath the sarcasm and coldness, the speaker could be feeling anguish, and sadness. That person might be feeling bitter because he may have experienced war first hand or may have muzzy a loved on in war.