Poetry Analysis
Mitch Sirohman
Can You Take It?
Paraphrasing
It's easy to be nice, boys
When everything's O.K.
It's easy to be cheerful,
When your having things your way.
But can you hold your head up
And take it on the chin.
When your heart is breaking
And you feel like giving in?
You can be happy when everything's okay, but can
you fight through it and not give up when soldiers
are being killed right next to you?
It was easy back in England,
Among the friends and folks.
But now you miss the friendly hand,
The joys, and songs, and jokes.
The road ahead is stormy.
And unless you're strong in mind,
You'll find it isn't long before
You're dragging far behind.
Back at home it's fun with friends and family.
War is a dark place, and if you don't have the mind set
that your going to get out of there alive, then
your going to end up dead.
You've got to climb the hill, boys;
It's no use turning back.
There's only one way home, boys,
And it's off the beaten track.
Remember you're American,
And when you reach the crest,
You'll see a valley cool and green,
Our country at its best.
You've got to fight through the pain
and keep going. You've got to fight for
your country and win the war for the
country you love.
You know there is a saying
That sunshine follows rain,
And sure enough you'll realize
That joy will follow pain.
Let courage be your password,
Make fortitude your guide;
And then instead of grousing,
Just remember those who died.
Fight for the Soldier beside you
and all the ones fighting with you.
In the end, there will be joy.
Always remember that when you start complaining, you made it
out alive but others did not.
Connotation
"It's easy to be nice, boys
When everything's O.K.
It's easy to be cheerful,
When your having things your way.
But can you hold your head up
And take it on the chin.
When your heart is breaking
And you feel like giving in?
It was easy back in England,
Among the friends and folks.
But now you miss the friendly hand,
The joys, and songs, and jokes.
The road ahead is stormy.
And unless you're strong in mind,
You'll find it isn't long before
You're dragging far behind."
Rhyme- in every stanza the last word in line 2 and 4 rhyme and the last word in
Line 6 and 8 rhyme
"You've got to climb the hill, boys;
It's no use turning back.
There's only one way home, boys,
And it's off the beaten track.
Remember you're American,
And when you reach the crest,
You'll see a valley cool and green,
Our country at its best."
Metaphor- The road ahead is stormy is a type of metaphor. The road itself isn't
stormy. It means the future is going to be hard.
"It was easy back in England,
Among the friends and folks.
But now you miss the friendly hand,
The joys, and songs, and jokes.
The road ahead is stormy.
And unless you're strong in mind,
You'll find it isn't long before
You're dragging far behind."
Attitude
gives a lot of useful advice for those heading to war.
"You've got to climb the hill, boys;
It's no use turning back.
There's only one way home, boys,
And it's off the beaten track.
Remember you're American,
And when you reach the crest,
You'll see a valley cool and green,
Our country at its best."
Shift
"It's easy to be nice, boys
When everything's O.K.
It's easy to be cheerful,
When your having things your way.
But can you hold your head up
And take it on the chin.
When your heart is breaking
And you feel like giving in?"