Listen then these are the charms And will I see your…
““Listen then these are the charms And will I see your pleasure stretched An even dozen they crowd the tomb You can read the dead in twelve faces And the winter months are long The shields are hammered into splinters Beating war's time will never ring true Fools stir in the crypt counting notches And the snow settles burying all traces Crows spill the sky knocked like ink Babies crawl to the front line Plump arms shouting proof 'gainst harm The helms rock askew in pitching tumult And the brightest blood is the freshest Round the well charged and spatted Cadavers cherish company's lonely vigil The tomb's walls trumpet failures Dressed as triumphs and glory's trains And the fallen are bundled lying under foot Each year Spring dies still newborn Listen then these are the charms History is written for the crows By children with red lips and eyes blinking On the cocked ends of their tongues And it seems summer will never end Hail the Season of War Gallan””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A cryptic, poetic meditation on war, history, and the cyclical nature of violence, using vivid, surreal imagery to convey the futility and persistence of conflict.
In simple terms: War repeats itself, recorded by those who survive.
Key Takeaway
Recognize patterns of conflict to break them.
Themes
war
history
memory
violence
cycle
Mood
somber
reflective
grim
Type
literary
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- military strategy analysis
- historical education
- peacebuilding workshops
- creative writing prompts
- psychotherapy for trauma
Key Concepts
mythic symbolism
historical recursion
psychological decay
literary surrealism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does war shape cultural memory?
- What can break the cycle of recurring conflict?
A Different Perspective
The poetic style may obscure practical lessons for some readers.