Remains

• In what year was Armitage's poem published?

  2008
• What is the basis of Armitage's poem?

  Interviews with soldiers who served in modern conflicts
• What psychological condition does the poem particularly explore?

  PTSD
• What does the phrase "On another occasion, we get sent out" suggest about soldiers' experiences?

  It normalizes violence and reflects desensitization
• What does the plural pronoun "we" indicate in the context of the poem?

  It distances the speaker from individual responsibility
• What does the juxtaposition of "probably armed, possibly not" convey?

  It captures the uncertainty and moral ambiguity of war
• How does the imagery in "I see every round as it rips through his life" affect the reader's perception?

  It emphasizes the violence and immediacy of the act
• What does the present tense "I see" indicate about the speaker's experience?

  It shows the speaker’s inability to escape the memory
• What themes are represented in the line "His bloody life in my bloody hands"?

  Guilt and responsibility
• What does the repetition of "bloody" signify in the poem?

  It conveys both literal and metaphorical guilt
• How does the allusion to Macbeth relate to the poem's themes?

  It suggests the inescapability of guilt
• What does the metaphor "The drink and the drugs won’t flush him out" imply?

  It reflects the speaker’s desperation to rid himself of haunting memories
• What theme does the line about "the drink and the drugs" highlight?

  Trauma and inescapable guilt
• What are the main themes explored in Armitage's poem?

  • Psychological impact of war
  • Guilt
  • Moral conflict
  • Trauma
  • Responsibility