The Soldier by Rupert Brooke - Notes

THE SOLDIER - by Rupert Brooke - Notes

POEM:

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

PARAPHRASE:

I am an English soldier. Foreign lands colonised by the English becomes England forever and its earth becomes rich. If I die in such a land and get buried there, think that that land will contain my richer dust which is richer because it is the native of England and was brought up by England, educated by her, loved her, explored her roads and streets, breathed English air, bathed by her rivers and blessed by her sunlight.

POEM:

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

PARAPHRASE:

Think of my heart as free from all evil and my mind as one which bears the beautiful memories of England, of her beautiful scenery, her melodious sounds of Aves, her happy days and nights with happy dreams, laughter with friends and ultimately peaceful heart. Indeed, England is heaven.