Remains by Simon Armitage

the poem provides a s_____ example of the p__________ effects of war. We are given an i_______ into the d________ mind of a soldier with symptoms of PTSD, who is h______ by his experiences. It explores the power of p______ m_______ and the power of m_____ training to d_________ the enemy, and the i_____ e______ conflict of soldiers mid-attack.

the poem provides a stark example of the pyschological effects of war. We are given an insight into the disturbed mind of a soldier with symptoms of PTSD, who is haunted by his experiences. It explores the power of painful memories and the power of military training to dehumanise the enemy, and the internal emotional conflict of soldiers mid-attack.

when was the poem published and what in?

2008, in Simon Armitage’s collection of poems ‘The Not Dead’, which is based on the testimonies of ex-soldiers

why did Simon Armitage write Remains?

He wanted to explore the aftermath of war, showing how veterans are treated when they come back with PTSD. The location of the poems is unclear, but likely to be in the Middle East, so the poem is probably a response to the emotional turmoil of soldiers returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“r____ through” “t____ apart” “t_____ his guts” “c_____ off”

“rips through “torn apart” “tosses his guts” “carted off”

violent verbs to show the brutality of war and how the looter’s body is treated with no respect. These verbs are ironic as they are not only what is happening to the looter physically, but also what is happening to the life of the soldier ,as he is mentally destroyed.

“probably a______, p_______ not”

“probably armed, possibly not”

adverbs to suggest the speaker is not sure whether the killing was necessary. “probably” to “possibly” implies he is becoming less certain.

“his blood-s______ stays on the street and out on p_____, I walk right over it w____ after w____”

“his blood-shadow stays on the street and out on patrol, I walk right over it week after week”

this is a metaphor to show that the memory will stay with the soldier forever, haunting him - the noun “shadow” implies something that follows you and you can’t escape from it.

“his ______ life in my ______ hands”

“his bloody life in my bloody hands”

this is a metaphor to highlight remorse and uses allusion to reference Macbeth, where bloody hands symbolise guilt.

how is structure used in the poem?

• it is a monologue written in blank verse to make the reader feel close to the speaker, as it is his actual experience, which is clear because the tone is natural and mimics conversational speech.

• in medias res is used as it starts “on another occasion”, reinforcing the conversational tone and suggesting that the experience is not isolated.