Elegy- Alexander Reese

The Cenotaph

BY CHARLOTTE MEW

Not yet will those measureless fields be green again

Where only yesterday the wild sweet blood of wonderful youth was shed;

There is a grave whose earth must hold too long, too deep a stain,

Though for ever over it we may speak as proudly as we may tread.

But here, where the watchers by lonely hearths from the thrust of an inward sword have more slowly bled,

We shall build the Cenotaph: Victory, winged, with Peace, winged too, at the column's head.

And over the stairway, at the foot—oh! here, leave desolate, passionate hands to spread

Violets, roses, and laurel with the small sweet twinkling country things

Speaking so wistfully of other Springs

From the little gardens of little places where son or sweetheart was born and bred.

In splendid sleep, with a thousand brothers

     To lovers—to mothers

     Here, too, lies he:

Under the purple, the green, the red,

It is all young life: it must break some women's hearts to see

Such a brave, gay coverlet to such a bed!

Only, when all is done and said,

God is not mocked and neither are the dead.

For this will stand in our Market-place—

     Who'll sell, who'll buy

     (Will you or I

Lie each to each with the better grace)?

While looking into every busy whore's and huckster's face

As they drive their bargains, is the Face

Of God: and some young, piteous, murdered face.

     This poem by Charlotte Mew seems to encapsulate at least two thirds of the elegy form in my understanding. It begins with a lament about the battle that took place. It seems fairly obvious that the poet is lamenting with "There is a grave whose earth must hold too long, too deep a stain". It transitions into praise with "We shall build the Cenotaph: Victory, winged, with Peace, winged too, at the column's head." However, this could be arguably seen as consolation as well. The rest of the poem seems to mostly go more towards solace and consolation with like "God is not mocked and neither are the dead." It still seems like it doesn't strictly follow the form as much of the last half or so can be seen as any one of the three elements in my view. 

    The author seems to explore how life will go on after this battle. She says that everyone's face will have a little bit of the fallen in it with "As they drive their bargains, is the Face of God: and some young, piteous, murdered face." She doesn't really comment on loss as a whole, but rather more specifically to this battle and those lost in it. 

Mew, Charlotte. "The Cenotaph." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2014.