The Next War
By Wilfred Owen
War’s a joke for me and you,
While we know such dreams are true.Out there, we’ve walked quite friendly up to Death,
Sat down and ate with him, cool and bland,
Pardoned his spilling mess tins in our hand.
We’ve sniffed the green thick odour of his breath,
Our eyes wept, but our courage didn’t waver.
He’s spat at us with bullets and he coughed shrapnel.
We chorused when he sang aloft,
We whistled while he shaved us with his scythe.Oh, Death was never an enemy of ours!
We laughed at him, we linked with him, old chum.
No soldier is paid to fight against his powers.
We laughed, knowing that better men would come,
And greater wars: when each proud fighter brags
He fights death for lives, not men or flags.
Summary of The Next War
There is no record of a poem titled “The Next War” by Wilfred Owen; it appears to be a misattribution. The analysis presented here treats the piece as a hypothetical sonnet, offering insight into how a poem of this nature might convey an anti‑war message. It imagines the poem beginning with an epigraph attributed to Siegfried Sassoon, establishing a cynical view of conflict. The soldier’s relationship with Death is described as desensitised and almost companionable. The poem allegedly portrays soldiers sharing meals with Death, tolerating its “spilling mess tins” as a metaphor for carnage, and even whistling while it “shaves” them with its “scythe.” The central idea of the poem is presented as a condemnation of the senselessness of war and the normalization of death, rather than a prediction of future conflicts.
Analysis of Literary and Poetic Devices
Assonance and consonance are employed to create a specific mood and rhythm. The repetition of vowel sounds in “Sat down and ate with him, cool and bland” demonstrates assonance. The repetition of consonant sounds in “Out there, we’ve walked quite friendly up to Death” is consonance. These sound devices contribute to the unsettling ease with which the soldiers have acclimated to the horrors of war.
Metaphor and Personification
Death is consistently personified, treated as a character with whom the soldiers have a bizarrely familiar relationship. The phrases “He’s spat at us with bullets” and “he coughed shrapnel” transform the impersonal act of warfare into a personal affront. The metaphor of Death wielding a “scythe” is particularly striking, instantly evoking images of the Grim Reaper and the inevitability of mortality. This imagery reinforces the idea that death is not merely a consequence of war, but an active participant in it.
Imagery
Imagery in the poem is visceral and disturbing. Phrases such as “sniffed the green thick odour of his breath” and “spilling mess tins” create a powerfully unsettling sensory experience. The poem does not romanticise battlefield glory; it forces the reader to confront the physical reality of death.
Anaphora and Repetition
Anaphora, the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, adds emphasis and rhythm. The repeated “We laughed” underscores the soldiers’ detachment and their almost flippant attitude towards death. This is presented as a coping mechanism, a way to numb themselves to the horrors around them.
Enjambment
Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause, creates a sense of flow and momentum. This technique mirrors the relentless and unforgiving nature of war, where there is no respite. The thought continues from “No soldier is paid to fight against his powers” into the next line, emphasizing the inevitability of death.
Symbolism
Beyond the obvious symbol of Death, the poem subtly employs other symbolic elements. The “flags” represent national pride and the often‑illusory ideals for which soldiers are asked to fight. The poem suggests that these ideals are ultimately less important than the fundamental reality of death, a reality that transcends national boundaries.
Poetic Form and Structure
The hypothetical poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, characterized by its fourteen lines, an octave of eight lines and a sestet of six lines, and a specific rhyme scheme. While the sonnet form traditionally celebrates love or beauty, the form is subverted to describe a deeply unsettling subject. The rhyme scheme (ABBAABBA CDECDE) provides a sense of order that contrasts with the chaos and disorder of war. The initial epigraph, though not part of the traditional sonnet form, prepares the reader for the poem’s cynical tone and establishes its anti‑war sentiment.
Key Quotes for Reflection
We laughed, knowing that better men would come,
And greater wars: when each proud fighter brags
He fights death for lives, not men or flags.
These lines reveal the tragic irony of war: soldiers are often encouraged to fight for abstract ideals like honor and country, but ultimately, they are merely fighting against death itself. The poem is a stark warning against the senselessness of conflict and a powerful plea for peace.