From A German War Primer Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EFG HIJF KLM NOP QDRSTUVW XYOZA2B2 NC2D2E2F2 G2H2I2J2K2L2 M2N2O2P2LYQ2R2K2 S2OIT2U2 S2T2V2T2W2 S2X2Y2Z2 A3S2X2 B3T2C3D D2LD2D3 IX2C3E3F3M2Z2G3 MLKZ2LH3Z2Z2 NOG2Z2HLI3 J3Z2DZ2 M2K2K3X2 M2N2K3L3 M2M3K3N3| AMONGST THE HIGHLY PLACED | A |
| It is considered low to talk about food | B |
| The fact is they have | C |
| Already eaten | D |
| - | |
| The lowly must leave this earth | E |
| Without having tasted | F |
| Any good meat | G |
| - | |
| For wondering where they come from and | H |
| Where they are going | I |
| The fine evenings find them | J |
| Too exhausted | F |
| - | |
| They have not yet seen | K |
| The mountains and the great sea | L |
| When their time is already up | M |
| - | |
| If the lowly do not | N |
| Think about what's low | O |
| They will never rise | P |
| - | |
| THE BREAD OF THE HUNGRY HAS | Q |
| ALL BEEN EATEN | D |
| Meat has become unknown Useless | R |
| The pouring out of the people's sweat | S |
| The laurel groves have been | T |
| Lopped down | U |
| From the chimneys of the arms factories | V |
| Rises smoke | W |
| - | |
| THE HOUSE PAINTER SPEAKS OF | X |
| GREAT TIMES TO COME | Y |
| The forests still grow | O |
| The fields still bear | Z |
| The cities still stand | A2 |
| The people still breathe | B2 |
| - | |
| ON THE CALENDAR THE DAY IS NOT | N |
| YET SHOWN | C2 |
| Every month every day | D2 |
| Lies open still One of those days | E2 |
| Is going to be marked with a cross | F2 |
| - | |
| THE WORKERS CRY OUT FOR BREAD | G2 |
| The merchants cry out for markets | H2 |
| The unemployed were hungry The employed | I2 |
| Are hungry now | J2 |
| The hands that lay folded are busy again | K2 |
| They are making shells | L2 |
| - | |
| THOSE WHO TAKE THE MEAT FROM THE TABLE | M2 |
| Teach contentment | N2 |
| Those for whom the contribution is destined | O2 |
| Demand sacrifice | P2 |
| Those who eat their fill speak to the hungry | L |
| Of wonderful times to come | Y |
| Those who lead the country into the abyss | Q2 |
| Call ruling too difficult | R2 |
| For ordinary men | K2 |
| - | |
| WHEN THE LEADERS SPEAK OF PEACE | S2 |
| The common folk know | O |
| That war is coming | I |
| When the leaders curse war | T2 |
| The mobilization order is already written out | U2 |
| - | |
| THOSE AT THE TOP SAY PEACE | S2 |
| AND WAR | T2 |
| Are of different substance | V2 |
| But their peace and their war | T2 |
| Are like wind and storm | W2 |
| - | |
| War grows from their peace | S2 |
| Like son from his mother | X2 |
| He bears | Y2 |
| Her frightful features | Z2 |
| - | |
| Their war kills | A3 |
| Whatever their peace | S2 |
| Has left over | X2 |
| - | |
| ON THE WALL WAS CHALKED | B3 |
| They want war | T2 |
| The man who wrote it | C3 |
| Has already fallen | D |
| - | |
| THOSE AT THE TOP SAY | D2 |
| This way to glory | L |
| Those down below say | D2 |
| This way to the grave | D3 |
| - | |
| THE WAR WHICH IS COMING | I |
| Is not the first one There were | X2 |
| Other wars before it | C3 |
| When the last one came to an end | E3 |
| There were conquerors and conquered | F3 |
| Among the conquered the common people | M2 |
| Starved Among the conquerors | Z2 |
| The common people starved too | G3 |
| - | |
| THOSE AT THE TOP SAY COMRADESHIP | M |
| Reigns in the army | L |
| The truth of this is seen | K |
| In the cookhouse | Z2 |
| In their hearts should be | L |
| The selfsame courage But | H3 |
| On their plates | Z2 |
| Are two kinds of rations | Z2 |
| - | |
| WHEN IT COMES TO MARCHING MANY DO NOT | N |
| KNOW | O |
| That their enemy is marching at their head | G2 |
| The voice which gives them their orders | Z2 |
| Is their enemy's voice and | H |
| The man who speaks of the enemy | L |
| Is the enemy himself | I3 |
| - | |
| IT IS NIGHT | J3 |
| The married couples | Z2 |
| Lie in their beds The young women | D |
| Will bear orphans | Z2 |
| - | |
| GENERAL YOUR TANK IS A POWERFUL VEHICLE | M2 |
| It smashes down forests and crushes a hundred men | K2 |
| But it has one defect | K3 |
| It needs a driver | X2 |
| - | |
| General your bomber is powerful | M2 |
| It flies faster than a storm and carries more than an elephant | N2 |
| But it has one defect | K3 |
| It needs a mechanic | L3 |
| - | |
| General man is very useful | M2 |
| He can fly and he can kill | M3 |
| But he has one defect | K3 |
| He can think | N3 |
Bertolt Brecht
(2)
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From A German War Primer is a poem by Bertolt Brecht. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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