And They Obey
And They Obey - meaning Summary
Destruction Then Reconstruction
The poem issues stark imperatives to a collective force: first to raze cities, then to rebuild them. Its two-part commands frame destruction and reconstruction as ordered tasks, shifting roles from soldiers to workmen and citizens. The tone emphasizes collective responsibility and the capacity to remake communal life, turning violent dismantling into purposeful labor that restores buildings and social function.
Read Complete AnalysesSmash down the cities. Knock the walls to pieces. Break the factories and cathedrals, warehouses and homes Into loose piles of stone and lumber and black burnt wood: You are the soldiers and we command you. Build up the cities. Set up the walls again. Put together once more the factories and cathedrals, warehouses and homes Into buildings for life and labor: You are workmen and citizens all: We command you.
Feel free to be first to leave comment.