Everyone Sang
By Siegfried Sassoon
Everyone suddenly burst out singing;
And I was filled with such delight
As imprisoned birds must find freedom,
Winging wildly across the white
Orchards and dark‑green fields; on – on – and out of sight.Everyone’s voice was suddenly lifted;
And beauty came like the setting sun:
My heart was shaken with tears; and horror
Drifted away … O, but Everyone
Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.
Summary of Everyone Sang
- Popularity of Everyone Sang: “Everyone Sang” is a poignant poem by Siegfried Sassoon, a celebrated English soldier‑poet. Published in 1919, it captures a moment of collective liberation and joy, reflecting the widespread relief felt at the conclusion of the First World War. The poem’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to express the intensity of wartime suffering and the yearning for peace and freedom that followed.
- Everyone Sang as a Representation of Merriment: This poem embodies the heartfelt emotions that followed the end of World War I. Sassoon portrays a collective outpouring of joy as people emerge from the shadow of conflict. Through evocative imagery, he illustrates how this joy feels akin to the liberation of birds from cages, a powerful symbol of newfound freedom. The poem acknowledges the lingering trauma of war while celebrating the triumph of hope and resilience.
- Major Themes in Everyone Sang: The central themes revolve around warfare, liberation, and profound joy. The poem uses the metaphor of caged birds to represent soldiers and, more broadly, a population yearning for freedom. While acknowledging the lasting impact of conflict—the “horror” that lingers—the poem ultimately emphasizes the power of collective joy to transcend suffering and pave the way for a hopeful future.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Everyone Sang
Siegfried Sassoon masterfully employs various literary devices to enrich the emotional resonance and thematic depth of “Everyone Sang.” These techniques contribute to the poem’s lasting impact and allow for multiple layers of interpretation.
- Assonance: Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, creates a musical quality and emphasizes certain words. Notice the repetition of the short “u” sound in “suddenly burst out singing” and the soft “e” sounds in “beauty came like the setting sun,” contributing to the lyrical flow of the poem.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, or alliteration, adds emphasis and texture. The phrase “Winging wildly” is a prime example, with the repeated “w” sound mimicking the energetic flight of birds.
- Consonance: Consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds within words, further enhances the poem’s musicality. Consider the repeated “r” sound in “My heart was shaken with tears; and horror,” creating a sense of emotional turbulence.
- Enjambment: Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause, creates a sense of momentum and fluidity. The lines “My heart was shaken with tears; and horror / Drifted away … O, but Everyone” demonstrate this technique, carrying the reader’s attention forward and mirroring the release of pent‑up emotion.
- Imagery: Sassoon utilizes vivid imagery to engage the reader’s senses and create a powerful emotional response. Phrases like “As imprisoned birds must find freedom” and “Winging wildly across the white orchards” paint a picture of liberation and joy, allowing the reader to vicariously experience the feeling of release.
- Metaphor: A central metaphor in the poem compares people to birds. The “everyone” in the poem becomes a flock of birds, symbolizing their newfound freedom and their collective expression of joy. This metaphor is particularly potent given the context of the war, where soldiers were often confined and restricted.
- Personification: Although subtle, there is a hint of personification in attributing a collective “voice” to “everyone,” suggesting a unified spirit and shared emotion.
- Symbolism: The song itself is symbolic. It is described as “wordless,” suggesting that the joy is so profound it transcends language. The singing represents a collective outpouring of emotion, a shared experience of liberation.
- Simile: The line “And beauty came like the setting sun” employs a simile, comparing the arrival of beauty to the visual spectacle of a sunset. This comparison suggests that beauty is fleeting yet radiant, providing a moment of peace and tranquility.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Everyone Sang
Beyond literary devices, Sassoon utilizes a range of poetic techniques to shape the rhythm, sound, and overall effect of “Everyone Sang.”
- End Rhyme: While not a strict rhyme scheme, the poem employs end rhyme to create a sense of musicality and closure. The pairing of “delight” and “sight” and the near rhyme of “sun” and “done” contribute to the poem’s lyrical quality.
- Free Verse: Though the poem contains some rhyme, “Everyone Sang” leans toward free verse, lacking a consistent meter or rhythmic pattern. This contributes to the poem’s natural, conversational tone and allows the emotions to flow freely.
- Quintain: The poem is structured in two quintains—five‑line stanzas—borrowed from traditional English poetry. This concise structure contributes to the poem’s focused and impactful message.
- Stanza: The division into two stanzas helps to separate the initial expression of joy from the subsequent realization of its enduring power.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “Everyone Sang” are particularly powerful and can be used to illustrate themes of freedom, joy, and the aftermath of conflict.
Everyone suddenly burst out singing;
And I was filled with such delight
As imprisoned birds must find freedom,
This quote encapsulates the central metaphor of the poem and beautifully expresses the feeling of liberation. It is a powerful image that resonates with anyone who has experienced confinement or longed for freedom.