Sand portrait of WW1 soldier
It is the wound in Time. The century’s tides,
> Click HERE to watch Fiona Shaw reciting "The Wound in Time"chanting their bitter psalms, cannot heal it.
Not the war to end all wars; death’s birthing place;
the earth nursing its ticking metal eggs, hatching
new carnage. But how could you know, brave
as belief as you boarded the boats, singing?
The end of God in the poisonous, shrapneled air.
Poetry gargling its own blood. We sense it was love
you gave your world for; the town squares silent,
awaiting their cenotaphs. What happened next?
War. And after that? War. And now? War. War.
History might as well be water, chastising this shore;
for we learn nothing from your endless sacrifice.
Your faces drowning in the pages of the sea.Carol Ann Duffy, 2018
Wilfred Owen sand portrait
> Click HERE to read a Guardian article about the PAGES of the SEA commemoration event.
> Click HERE to view a video about it.
> Click HERE to watch a TV news item about it.
> Click HERE to read an article from THE DAY.
To do/questions:
- Translate the poem.
- Who is Carol Ann Duffy?
- What is the poem "THE WOUND IN TIME" about?
- What do you think of it?
- Do you share Carol Anne Duffy's pessimism (that we do not learn from the past)?
- Who is Danny Boyle?
- What is "PAGES of the SEA"?
- What is your opinion about "PAGES of the SEA" (does it work for you as a way of commemorating the war dead)?
- What, in your opinon, does the initiative say about how the British today consider WW1 (and their past)?
- Did you take part in a commemoration ceremony for the Great War (why/not) and what did you think of it?
- What (original) national or regional commemoration events took place in France in November 2018 (and what is your opinion of them)?
- Should 2018 be the last time we commemorate WW1?
- How should we commemorate national traumas like WW1 (devise your own event/ceremony/monument)?
Should 2018 be the last time we commemorate the First World War?
ReplyDeleteTeam Sunshine (Emile, Noémie, Suzelle, Maxine, Ludovic) write:
We think that 2018 shouldn’t be the last time we commemorate the First World War, because we must remember what happened. However, we think that commemoration ceremonies should be dropped. Instead, people should be encouraged to visit the museums that talk about war on the 11th November. That way, we would not glorify war (which sometimes happens during commemoration ceremonies) but give people the opportunity to understand why wars happen (and so avoid them happening again). Also, country leaders should come together in one of the countries involved in the Great War to talk about how to maintain peace in the world.
Camille M. writes:
ReplyDeleteIt is our duty to remember the history of our country because people fought and gave their lives so that we could live in peace today. Commemoration ceremonies make us sad but they allow us to remember without rancour or feelings of vengeance or nostalgia. We must not forget our past mistakes; if we do, we are condemned to repeat them…
The danger, as the Great War becomes a distant memory, is that it will be forgotten. So, we must continue to learn, in school and during commemoration ceremonies, about the brutality of war and the suffering it causes, that violence leads to violence, and that it must at all costs be avoided.
The Guild’s answer to the question “Should 2018 be the last time we commemorate World War 1?”
ReplyDeleteWe think it shouldn’t be the last time we commemorate WW1, but it should be the last time that there is a commemoration of this type because not many people participate as they aren’t really interested in it.
It should be in the afternoon because young people don’t want to wake up early to go to a commemoration.
We think that we should visit exhibitions like the “Mémorial du paysan soldat” and watch testimonies of people who lived during the war: the soldiers and their families. They can tell us what they saw and have been through. The people of today will understand why it’s important to remember the traumatic events of the past and will think about the people who died for peace. Commemoration shouldn’t be so formal.
Héléna writes, in answer to question 13:
ReplyDelete“Commemorate” means to recall and show respect for someone or something. In our opinion, we should continue to celebrate WWI.
Some people say we need to remember the past in order to avoid making the same mistakes. But, as you know, we failed! WW2 followed WW1 after all, and there are still wars… But, it is not because we failed that we should not remember all the people who died for their beliefs and for their country and to guarantee our freedom. However, after one hundred years, it is maybe time to change how we commemorate World War 1. Fewer and fewer people attend commemorations every year, even for this year’s 100th anniversary. Furthermore, on the 4th February 2012, the last soldier from WW1 died (aged 110); Florence Green was a British woman who served the Allied armed forces. So, if we do not want WW1 to be relegated just to the history books, we should continue to celebrate the Armistice.
We think more young people should be encouraged to take part. But why do we not attend Armistice Day ceremonies? Because we do not find them interesting: names are read out, there is a military march, and an official speech.
So what could we do instead? One idea: we could have a Peace Ball in every city! Young people would dress up like people did at the start of the 20th century and would dance and have fun with friends. Another idea: set up exhibitions of photos of the period (not just of the War). This kind of event would be interesting and educational for young people, and the goal of commemorating, all together, would be achieved.
We think we should maintain the one-minute silence; that is important.
Commemorating the sad periods of history, if not done well, can stir up hate; those ceremonies should be used to forgive and to imagine a more peaceful future.