Does it matter?

Does it matter?-losing your legs?

For people will always be kind,
And you need not show that you mind
When others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.

Does it matter?-losing you sight?
There’s such splendid work for the blind;
And people will always be kind,
As you sit on the terrace remembering
And turning your face to the light.

Do they matter-those dreams in the pit?
You can drink and forget and be gald,
And people won't say that you’re mad;
For they know that you've fought for your country,
And no one will worry a bit.

G) What three effects of the war on a solider does this poem touch on?

- I think he means that in the first verse the man is loosing a body part, and someone feels sorry for him, but at the same time a rich man come home from hunting and sets down eating muffins and eggs.

- In the secound vers he talk about loosing his sight and getting blind, people will always be kind, but somewhere someone don't care and turns his head to the light and sees things abround.

- In the third verse he is telling about loosing his dreams, you can drink and be glad. People know that you have fought for you country, but no one will care to stop and listen to you.

H) It is often argued that the two great wars were fought by working-class men on both sides and that the people they fight for, were often more fighting against. Does this poem reflect this attitude? Explain!

- Yes, this poem reflects this attitude. In the first verse it says that when one man has lost one of his bodyparts another some home from hunting and gobbles in his muffin and egg. This shows the difference on people. One man is coming from the war with just one leg while others come home from hunt and get miffun and egg. Some are rich and others are just normal and working-class, the rich people get the advantage on everything.

I) This poem has enjoyed a bit of a revival of late. What reason do you think there might be for its newfound popularity?

- Today people are really into war and think it is really interesting to read about. Many movies and books are on the market and become best sellers, for example “Max Manus” and “the fire and the lemon”. So I think this poem is popular today because people think the theme is interesting and inportant.

From the documentary of Siegfried Sassoon I learned the following facts:

- war was going to be men fighting against each other one by one

- The army’s were thrown into the fights without experience