Task 2 - We Slept With Our Boots On

Analysis of We Slept With Our Boots On

They unloaded the dead and maimed right before our eyes
They washed out the blood, we loaded our ruck’s and then took to the skies
Over the mountains, villages, and valleys we flew
Where we would land we had not a clue
Bullets are flying, the LZ is hot
We’re leaving this bird whether we like it or not
30 seconds they yelled, Lock N Load and grab your shit
Get ready to go and make it quick
My heart is pumping adrenalin through all of my veins
I run as fast as I can through the lead rain
The noise is tremendous, terror I can’t define
The only reason I survived that day was divine
I kept pulling the trigger and reloading and pulling some more
You do what you have to do, with that I will say no more
We fought from the valleys to the mountain peaks
From house to cave, to car to creek
Dirty and tired and hungry and scared
We slept with our boots on so we were always prepared
Those majestic mountains so steep, so high they kiss the skies
The Hindu Kush has changed so many lives
Up the mountains with heavy loads we trod
Who knew hell was so close to God
Beauty and terror are a strong mixed drink
So we drank it like drunkards and tried not to think
Good men and bad men, Mothers lost son’s
Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns
Washed in the blood, and baptized by fire
I will never forget those who were called higher
They say blood is thicker than water, well lead is thicker than blood
Brothers aren’t born they’re earned. In the poppy fields, the tears, and the mud
And when I get to heaven to Saint Peter I will tell
Another Paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I spent my time in hell

Steve Carlsen

Point of View: Similar to Rainbow Death, this poem by Steve Carlsen, is also written in the first-person account. Having served in the United States Army, Steve Carlsen has participated in wars as well and this poem allows him to share his experiences.

Situation and Setting: Unlike Rainbow Death, the situation and setting of this poem is one in which the character is in the midst of a shoot-out with the enemies, the vivid description of the shoot-out is followed by the poet's personal feelings. First of all, Steve Carlsen writes about the horrors of war and what he witnessed - (They unloaded the dead and maimed right before our eyes),followed by the process in which he traveled to his destination - (They washed out the blood, we loaded our ruck’s and then took to the skies

Over the mountains, villages, and valleys we flew), the shoot-out - (I run as fast as I can through the lead rain...pulling the trigger and reloading and pulling some more), and his personal feelings - (Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns...Another Paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I spent my time in hell).

Language/Diction: Steve Carlsen makes use of code-names such as (LZ ~ Landing Zone, bird ~ aircraft) to enhance the poem's effect of allowing the reader to relive the moments of the war. He also makes use of the rhyme scheme a-a-b-b-c-c to ensure smooth flow of the passages. There were also sentences on hell and God, possibly to show that the shoot-out was practically a living hell, with so many dead and wounded. Steve Carlsen makes use of metaphors as well. For example, he compares the hail of bullets to lead rain.

Personal Response: Through the vivid description and feelings, we are able to reenact those scenes in our mind and understand the poet's plight as he took part in the war.