Year 9 War Poetry
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
You are ‘war correspondents’ reporting for a news channel.
Read the section of the poem above. Using the focused questions below, create a news report that
you will feedback live to the studio. Each member of your group must have a speaking part. There
may be more than one correspondent and you may interview other group members as part of your
report.
Remember to make as many links as you can to demonstrate your expertise as a ‘war
correspondent’. You must include links to language in the poem and context.
Good luck.

Why are the soldiers described as being ‘like old beggars under sacks’ and ‘coughing like
hags’?

Why do they describe their destination as their ‘distant rest’?

Can you find any ‘plosive sounds’? What is the effect of this?

What rhyming techniques can you find and what meaning do they convey to the reader?

Are there any other language devices you can identify? Comment on their effect.
Sarah Touhey: War Poetry Unit – Handout 3