HBL task 1

"Children in the Darkness" by Henry M Bechtold

Difficulty Rating: *

There are children in the darkness

Who have not seen the light

There are children in the darkness

Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be

To this door there is no key

From this life they cannot flee

And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle

Could we give them half a chance

Could we teach them how to read

Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them

Their body and their soul

Will their life and blood be poured

Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness

From which there is no flight

Back into the darkness

Into which there shines no light

Task 1:
The fifth line of the poem states that "chalk and blackboards will not be" contrasting the reader's view of school with the way these children are taught. The next three lines are extremely strong in regarding on "Freedom", something that the children sincerely believe is their right to upkeep, which is now commonly known as Human Rights. But this fighting is the complete opposite. The children fighting have no ability to be free, taught to fight, this is their only way of life, to be involved in war and probably die.

The next few lines ask rhetorical questions, whether the children can be taught what 'normal' students are taught.

The next 3 lines shows their true fate and the reasons to why they cannot be taught what normal students are taught, which is somehow answering all the rhetorical questions. It is trying to say that they could never be taught all that, because they are "used up" in war, 'their body and soul' will be given to the war and their blood and life will be 'poured down some endless thirsty hole.' Examples used here are strong, like blood,poured and endless, making it seem like blood is being constantly poured and bloodshed is rampant.

The last stanza wrapped up the whole poem, by saying that these children could never be like normal children, they have no hope , when it says "Into which there shines no light", to live a normal life as it has been destroyed by war.

Reference:
http://keyserzone.blogspot.com/2010/05/poetry-analysis-children-in-darkness.html
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html