The Death of a Soldier by Wallace Stevens

I like how Stevens compare the life of a soldier to an autumn day. When reading “The Death of a Soldier” I pictured this soldier that is going into battle knowing that he may not can back in the shape he was or if he will still be living. I get this vivid image of this soldier lining up in his platoon and embarking on his mission. As he looks around people are getting shot and falling down one by one like leafs that fall from an autumn tree. As I keep reading “He does not become a three-day’ personage, Imposing his separation, Calling for pomp.” (Stevens pg. 246) I get the impression that this soldier got shoot. The soldier is down but still wants to fight not because he wants to be a celebrity but to defend his honor, shooting other soldiers off one by one but more of he enemy still coming know that he is going to die looking death right in the eye looking for his own splendor. Eventually he can fight the enemy of anymore and dies. Instead of giving him a proper memorial he is pushed aside so other soldiers can fight. “When the wind stops and, over the heavens, The cloud go, nevertheless, In their direction.” (Stevens pg. 246) After the battle has ended and the retreat was made that battleground that saw death and violence now is a vast space of emptiness. The soldiers death represents the wind stopping but the clouds go represents the soul and sacrifice that this unnamed soldier made.

---Richard Liptak