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

US Clergyman Henry Emerson at once said, The tragedy of warfare is that it uses mans best to do mans worst." And I agree with him. What is it most the human race and war anyway? Well, Carl von Clausewitz overly said that, "To untouchable 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 have no similarities and they both have different ways in writing nearly war.     In Whitmans poem, Cavalry Crossing a Ford he writes about a Cavalry marching off to war. From my research, Whitman recreates a snapshot from Union General Lovell H. Rousseaus raid through Alabama in July 1864, when his troops were mark the Coosa River at Ten Islands Ford. He brings to life his poem by describing many details about the Cavalrys surroundings by development split of visual imagery. It has much visual imagery considering the length of the p oem. Whitman also writes using free-verse. The talker in the poem is taking his time to survey 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 whitethorn his last moments. For he knows that when he crosses the ford, he whitethorn not amends 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 doomed 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 smell anguish, and sadness. That person might be feeling bitter because he whitethorn have experienced wa r first hand or may have lost a loved on in war.