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Hi friends,
Every time I read war poetry, especially war poetry involving soldier's dying and touching war poetry, I begin to get very sad and mournful. I then start to cry.
But, I have a few family members that have served in the military before, but none that were actually K.I.A. or killed or anything. And, they've retired, so their not on active duty.
Why is this? Why do I cry and grow sad every time I read any kind of war poetry?

Why do I cry and grow sad every time I read any kind of war poetry?

If you don't have any family or close friends who have died in war, and yet cry every time you hear war poetry, I'm going to go out on a sexist limb here and say that it is because you are female, and that's the way God made you

Then maybe this will cheer you up.

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

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.  
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots  
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;  
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots  
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! –  An ecstasy of fumbling,  
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;  
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,  
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .  
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,  
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,  
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace  
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,  
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,  
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;  
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood  
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,  
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud  
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,  
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest  
To children ardent for some desperate glory,  
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est  
Pro patria mori.

8 October 1917 - March, 1918

Wilfred Owen

Quote from: PrettyOrchid on July 06, 2010, 10:59:09 PM

Why do I cry and grow sad every time I read any kind of war poetry?

If you don't have any family or close friends who have died in war, and yet cry every time you hear war poetry, I'm going to go out on a sexist limb here and say that it is because you are female, and that's the way God made you

I would agree, nuturally females are more sensitive to death and other things than men are (which is good , not bad... apathy can be really destrcutive). That is the beauty off it all!  You have part a part of God's Heart.. Men well, we just have budweiser and the NFL.

I have a perfect verse for you but I forgot it I will try to find it sometime though.

Hi friends,
Every time I read war poetry, especially war poetry involving soldier's dying and touching war poetry, I begin to get very sad and mournful. I then start to cry.
But, I have a few family members that have served in the military before, but none that were actually K.I.A. or killed or anything. And, they've retired, so their not on active duty.
Why is this? Why do I cry and grow sad every time I read any kind of war poetry?

I would say it's similar to the effect of a movie: Through the story, you get to know the character, and then if/when they die in the movie, you are saddened because you want them to live a long and happy life.  The thing in which war poetry differs from movies, is that, like reality, the good guys do die and occasionally the bad guys "win."  Through all sorts of books, movies, etc, we are introduced to characters both real and those inspired by real people.  They have feelings and thoughts much like our own, and we begin to "get to know them."  they become almost like friends, because we can sometimes relate to them. 

For those suggesting that it's because she's a girl, I'd like to point out that I, as a guy, become very saddened whenever I read about the things that happened to Christ.  I think about all of the horrible things that I've done, and how much I truly don't deserve what He did/experienced for me.  If that doesn't sadden you, then I'm simply amazed.  Sure, I'm uplifted once again when I think about the fact that He rose again, but the thoughts still sadden me.

-C_S