"War Is Never Over" By: Cecil L. Harrison

The poem I chose to give an explanation for is, “War Is Never Over” by Cecil L. Harrison. I think that the title for this poem is very important because it says what the poem is going to be about. Every stanza’s first line from the poem begins with, “War is never over” and each gives a different explanation to back it up. In the first stanza Cecil explained that even though a war is over physically the soldiers who fought in it will keep the memories and never forget what they experienced. In the second stanza Cecil explained that even though soldiers go home to remember that their memory will always have war in it. In the third stanza Cecil brings back the veterans who fought in the Vietnam war and she explains that those are the soldiers who really know that war is never over mentally and when they see other wars it just gives them flashbacks of the terrible experience they went through themselves. In the fourth stanza Cecil puts himself into the poem explaining that he experienced World War II and he will never forget everything he went through because of that war. In the fifth stanza Cecil talks about the people who have a loved one waiting for them at home and how some soldiers make it home and others never return. In the last stanza Cecil explains that even though we win the war, the war is never won for those who experience a war and for those who lose a loved one. He also explains that “No freedom is not free!” I think when Cecil wrote that freedom is not free she meant that it’s not free because our soldiers are out there fighting for it and that we shouldn’t take freedom for granted.

In stanza two Cecil used the word “Nam”. I didn’t know what that word meant and I had to look it up and it was just short for Vietnam. The tone of the poem could be different for anyone who reads it, but to me the tone was sad because every stanza started with “War Is Never Over” and thinking about how the soldiers feel after they experience a war is sad. And it’s sad to think that it’s true, war really isn’t ever over.

Overall, I liked the poem because I actually figured it out after reading it a couple of times. It wasn’t too difficult to understand. I also liked the poem because I had never realized that after a soldier experiences war they never feel the same and the memory of war is always with them. My brother is in the Airforce and I really hope he never has to experience war.

I’m going to paste the poem onto the blog so you can read it and see if you find a different meaning. The picture of the man above is Cecil L. Harrison.

"War Is Never Over" By: Cecil L. Harrison

War is never over

Thought the treaties may be signed

The memories of the battles

Are forever in our minds

War is never over

So when you welcome heroes home

Remember in their minds they hold

Memories known to them alone

War is never over

Nam veterans know this well

Now other wars bring memories back

Of their own eternal hell

War is never over

For I knew world war two

And I'll not forget the battles

Or the nightmares that ensue

War is never over

Those left home to wait know this

For many still are waiting

It was their farewell kiss

War is never over

Though we win the victory

Still in our minds the battles

No freedom is not free!

Citation: Cecil L. Harrison - Poem Hunter. "War Is Never Over Poem."Poemhunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2018.