War Poetry Essay

We can quite clearly trace the poet’s emotional journey throughout his poetic works. One of the most obvious themes in his poetry is a longing for what has been lost; friends, innocence, life. His tone is often reminiscent and wistful, yet there is a constant underlying sadness that cannot be ignored. Though it is through these war poems that Ungaretti found his voice as a poet, it comes with a heavy burden. The journey begins with ‘Veglia’. The atmosphere of the poem is dark and intimate as they are “buttato vicino” to one of the fallen men. We sense that always underlying theme of brotherhood as they stay close to one of their men in his final moments. Though we are presented with startling, menacing imagery of “la sua bocca digrignata volta al plenilunio”, the poet conveys a feeling of community. It is clear that he is repulsed by these images of war but this sense of togetherness is what gets him through it. The poem becomes personal as he admits to us that he has written “lettere piene d’amore”.At this point we have been diverted away from the images of war. He brings us inward, into his mind. In this, this soldier’s dying moments, Ungaretti thinks of his own

The question of “di che reggimento siete” suggests meeting for the first time but this is followed by “fratelli”. He is connected to these strangers through their shared experiences. War and death do not discriminate between these men. Their youth is suggested in that they are leaves “appena nata”. Like the leaves they tremble and shake. Ungaretti introduces the theme of pain once more in the image of “Nell’aria spasimante”. Unlike in ‘Veglia’, there is not much emotion attached to this pain; it is there so much that it is in the air, inescapable. They cannot escape the pain like they could not escape the war. This is an “involontaria rivolta” and not one of them wishes to be there. He ends the poem with one word;