exposure

• power of nature
• whats the form used


  narrative poem
• what does the rhyme scheme reflect


  the disjointed thoughts
• what do the stanzas represent 


  the same length reflects the monotony and repetition of war
• what does the ellipsis signify 


  the continuity and iteration of war
• whats the context behind it


  its a war against nature and how those who had fought in war suffered from shell shock (ptsd)
• 'crusted dark-red jewels' 


  the metaphor represents the frozen blood and it is compared to as precious and valuable
• 'is it that we are dying?' 


  the rhetorical question and their confusion indicates the empathy us as readers feel towards the soldiers as it highlights their unawareness and unconsciousness of their ending.
• 'like twitching agonies of men'


  indicates their suffering, misery, and torment
• 'but nothing happens' 


  repetition through the quote indicates the endless trap they are in, this juxtaposes as they are attacked by nature
• 'slowly our ghosts drag home'


  signifies how war has won and taken over the innocent.

  the verb 'drag' indicates heavy burden, and how out of place those that were righteous experienced an unnecessary war against nature.
• 'what are we doing here'


  rhetorical question highlights the futility and hopelessness of war and how detached they feel from like and are trapped in war
• 'the merciless iced east winds that knife us'


  the sibilance reflects the biting, piercing pain that they are experiencing and how they are deliberately attacked.

  the pathetic fallacy emphasizes the brutality of the weather and the immense agony that they encounter.
• 'less deadly than the air that shudders black with snow'


  the noun 'snow' refers to the colour white and signifies purity and innocence, whereas the adjective 'black' connotates death. this juxtaposition of the two colours may suggest how noble and moral the soldiers are as they experience the bleakness of this war, in addition this reference to death foreshadows their fateful ending.