Remains - Simon Armitage

• Stanza 6: "drink and the drugs won't flush him out"

  • haunting him in his dreams (PTSD)
  • trying to escape his memories for the closure
  • solider cannot erase the horrific memories
• Stanza 8: "but near to the knuckle, his bloody life in my bloody hands..."


  "bloody"- swear word

  • frustration that he cannot get rid of the blood or the guilt of killing.

  solider feels responsible perhaps guilty or could feel fear