Beat ! Beat! Drums! Analysis

BEAT! beat! drums!--Blow! bugles! blow!

Through the windows--through doors--burst like a ruthless force,

Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation;

Into the school where the scholar is studying;

Leave not the bridegroom quiet--no happiness must he have now with

his bride;

Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, plowing his field or gathering his

grain;

So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums--so shrill you bugles blow.





Beat! beat! drums!--Blow! bugles! blow!

Over the traffic of cities--over the rumble of wheels in the streets:

Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? No sleepers

must sleep in those beds;10

No bargainers' bargains by day--no brokers or speculators--Would they

continue?

Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing?

Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the

judge?

Then rattle quicker, heavier drums--you bugles wilder blow.





Beat! beat! drums!--Blow! bugles! blow!

Make no parley--stop for no expostulation;

Mind not the timid--mind not the weeper or prayer;

Mind not the old man beseeching the young man;

Let not the child's voice be heard, nor the mother's entreaties;

Make even the trestles to shake the dead, where they lie awaiting the

hearses,20

So strong you thump, O terrible drums--so loud you bugles blow.

.: :.

Through my interpreting of this Whitman poem, it seems as if this poem is divided into three paragraphs for a reason. The first possibly being a warning call for an upcoming battle. The second maybe being the marching of the army through streets, and the third possibly being a mournful scene, seeing as how Whitman mentions hearses in the lines, so possibly a funeral procession for soldiers killed, as there are multiple hearses mentioned.
FYI: Hearse- noun; a vehicle carrying a casket or simply a casket being paraded through a crowd to celebrate the person who has passed on.
Hope my view helps!

| Posted on 2010-02-06 | by a guest

.: :.

this poems is describing world war I. the nazis are attacking pearl harbor and the U.S. is angered and writing the declaration of independence as the drums beat

| Posted on 2010-01-27 | by a guest

.: :.

Knowing a bit about his life, he was a nurse for the civil war, i beleive the poem is about how the war raged on no matter what. He said that the drums and bugles went off through church, when a scholar was at school and things such as these. I also think he was trying to give his readers a feel of what the war was like.

| Posted on 2009-12-02 | by a guest

.: :.

The poem clearly describes how what was being looked at as a short lived war is going to turn into a long, drawn out war.
Also describes the thought of how the civil war was disrupting all aspects off life, both adult and children, civilian and soldier.

| Posted on 2009-05-12 | by a guest

.: :.

i think that this guy is was thinking of penices when he wrote this. think about it "beat", "blow". And maybe he is referring to drums as penices.

| Posted on 2009-05-06 | by a guest

.: :.

I think he is saying that the strong ones are going through the town and give no mercy, no respect, nothing!

| Posted on 2009-03-31 | by a guest

.: :.

I think he is saying that the strong ones are going through the town and give no mercy, no respect, nothing!

| Posted on 2009-03-31 | by a guest

.: :.

think about the time period. it's about the civil war and how it raged in and disrupted the beautiful things democracy had allowed

| Posted on 2009-03-03 | by a guest

.: :.

the poem sends doubt through me. I question that this could happen so quickly that the farmers and children couldnt escape. Which furthers my idea of it being he dream of someone in the war, a soldier maybe

| Posted on 2009-01-29 | by a guest

.: 112 :.

What is wrong with homosexuals writing poetry? And i doubt you could call this simplistic, perhaps you have just overlooked the complexities within this poem that go beyond your understanding =]

| Posted on 2008-05-06 | by a guest

.: Whitman :.

This poem is written by a homosexual, because Whitman was a homosexual; therefore, don't read his poetry.

| Posted on 2008-02-27 | by a guest

.: :.

Today's poem is not so much about war, as about the *idea* of war, and the
terrible urgency with which it can sweep through a nation's consciousness,
consuming or overpowering everything in its path.

The structure and rhythms of the poem reflect that urgency - not the
measured cadence of a marching drum, but the rising, almost hysterical rush
of sound as action seeks to displace thought, as the drums 'rattle quicker,
heavier' and the bugles 'wilder blow'.

It is tempting to view this as purely an antiwar poem - tempting, but overly
simplistic. More accurately, the poem is more descriptive than judgemental,
capturing rather precisely the raised emotions and demanded sacrifices of a
brewing war, and the frightening, jealous power with which an idea, a Cause
can grip a people.

| Posted on 2005-05-16 | by Approved Guest