The poem ‘’Disabled’’ is an emotional reflection on the experiences of a veteran solider. The poet explores the effects of war on those who live through it by comparing the present life of an injured soldier to his past hopes, accomplishments and lifestyle. The poem effectively contrasts the current life of the solider to his past and is written as a personal statement on war and its effect on people. The purpose of the poem it to promote understanding and appreciation of veterans. As a solider himself, the poet attempts to sympathize with the speaker and relates to his disability and possibly that of others who fought in wars too. Consequently, his background is reflected in “Disabled.” For the structure of the poem, it frequently switches between present and past and the juxtaposition of remembrance and realization casts a harsh light on everything the soldier has lost. Each stanza starts with describing the soldier’s present conditions and then compares it to his past life, or vice versa. The final stanza however depicts what he thinks his future holds for him when he says, ‘’he will spend a few sick years in institutes’’. This tells the reader that he believes that he will live a life lived by rules set by other people, a life of dependency and helplessness. The first stanza starts with the depressing description of a lone man sitting in a wheelchair in a park, being unable to walk or take part in anything going on around him. He is sitting in the wheelchair, “waiting