Choose life Quote by Robert Lowell
““Two months after marching through Boston, half the regiment was dead; at the dedication, William James could almost hear the bronze Negroes breathe. Their monument sticks like a fishbone in the city's throat. Its Colonel is as lean as a compass-needle. He has an angry wrenlike vigilance, a greyhound's gently tautness; he seems to wince at pleasure, and suffocate for privacy. He is out of bounds now. He rejoices in man's lovely, peculiar power to choose life and die-- when he leads his black soldiers to death, he cannot bend his back.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The River,” by Robert Lowell, 1960
A soldier reflects on the brutal reality of war, the loss of life, and the paradox of power over death.
In simple terms: War shows the grim cost of power and death.
Key Takeaway
Recognize war’s human toll.
Themes
war
mortality
power
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- military training
- historical analysis
- peace advocacy
- mental health support
Key Concepts
ethics
human suffering
military hierarchy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does power over life and death reveal?
- How can societies honor those lost without glorifying conflict?
A Different Perspective
The glorification of war masks its profound suffering.
