Exposure

• "Our brains ache"


  Collective pronoun = connotates soldiers loss of identity and dehumanisation. Assonance = sharp 'a' = emphasises physical pain from the cold
• "merciless iced east winds that knife us..."


  The soldiers are alone in a hostile environment and nature has turned against them. Sibilance = portray nature as sinister. Ellipsis = soldiers are constantly on edge which often lead to shellshock
• "But nothing happens"


  Emphasises the the agony of waiting. Repetition of this line to emphasise the soldiers are beyond helping. This is ironic as propaganda portrays war differently to reality, them achieving nothing is just dying
• "Pale flakes with fingering stealthy come feeling for our faces"


  Personification = emphasises the cold and snow is a threat. Alliterative 'f' = reflects the softness of snow, but it is now dangerous. "stealth" = creates and eerie and haunting atmosphere
• "Slowly our ghosts drag home" "Shutters and doors, all closed"


  Hallucinate visions of home. They believe the only way to return is death through the form of a ghost. Families expect them to die and will move on. Or the soldiers are not welcomed home and are expected to fight. "closed" doors could be a metaphor = they are shut behind the door of life and left to die.
• "For love of God seems dying"


  Religious imagery = Soldiers have lost all religious faith. "God" is seen as a symbol of benevolence and peace, but how is that true when a war is going on are they are dying. They feel like God has abandoned them. This could also link to Jesus suffering and dying to protect humanity.