The poem “Grass” by Carl Sandburg explores the issue of war and its effects on nature and people using various literary techniques. The speaker addresses the grass at the start of the poem. The grass is personified throughout the poem as a witness to the atrocities of war. The repeated phrase “pile the bodies high” evokes a sense of weight and sorrow while highlighting the suffering and expenditure of war (Yan). The speaker begs the grass to “let me work,” suggesting they want to bury the dead and get over the horrors of war. The poem employs literary devices to bring about the theme of war and the negative and depressing aesthetic effect.
Sandburg’s use of tone, diction, symbolism, and figurative language influences the poem’s aesthetic effect. To communicate the idea of war, Sandburg employs metaphorical language and connotation. The first words of “Grass” beg permission for the speaker, grass, to complete its work and cover up the corpses and historically significant battles worldwide. No one will remember what occurred in these locations two or ten years from now once it has done its job. The poem’s continuous theme of “Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo” produces a depressing vision that stays with you long after reading it. The verse also emphasizes nature’s resilience and the idea that life carries on even amid sorrow.
Making sure we remember the lessons from the past is our responsibility as readers of this poetry and as individuals who live in the world. The grass may symbolize nature’s resilience and endurance since it continues to grow and thrive in the face of death and devastation. The expression “pile the bodies high” is frequently used to emphasize the tragedy and expense of war. Using terms like “shovel them under” in Sandburg’s writing adds to the effect of horror and sadness. The poem’s creative impact is increased by stressing the toll war takes on human life and the environment (Engelbertha). Despite the poem’s straightforward language, it nonetheless leaves a strong emotional impact. The personification of “shovel them under and let me work” gives the grass a sense of agency and power, as if it were actively attempting to conceal indications of strife.
The phrase “pile the bodies high” helps the reader form a vivid mental picture. The poem’s straightforward diction, nonetheless, makes a powerful emotional impression. One intriguing expression is, “Shovel them under and let me work.” The personification in this phrase gives the impression that the grass is actively trying to hide the signs of battle. Due to its unusual sentence form, which gives the grass a sense of agency and force, the poem has a more substantial aesthetic effect.
The repetition and vivid imagery in “Grass” contribute to its aesthetic effect. The phrase “pile the bodies high” is repeated several times, evoking a visceral and ominous image highlighting the price of war. The poem’s references to the grass as “forgiving” and “persistent” emphasize nature’s grit and the notion that life goes on even in the face of death. The grass is given a sense of action via personification as if it is actively trying to hide the signs of conflict. The poem’s poetic forms convey an important and moving message about how war affects people and the environment.
The poem “Grass” covers the issue of war and its effects on nature and people in a painful and evocative manner. The reader is strongly affected emotionally by Sandburg’s use of figurative language, connotation, and strong diction, which emphasizes the agony and expense of war. The poem’s recurrent theme, “pile the bodies high,” gives the entire piece a weighty, melancholy quality that highlights the suffering and price of war. In general, “Grass” is a perfect allegory of the state of humanity and the effects of war on both people and the environment.
Work Cited
Engelbertha, Revida. “THE MEANING OF GRASS IN CARL SANDBURG’S POEM “GRASS. “” Jurnal Langue 15.2 Desember (2021).
Yan, Niu. “Aesthetic Ideology—An Interpretation of Carl Sandburg’s Nature Poems.”
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