Idea 2-Development

After looking into poems I noticed that a lot of first world war poems were written by unknown authors, and that reading a war poem by an anonymous poet has the same effect as looking at a Banksy installation, the sense of power it invokes is a lot more poignant due to its anonymity. Here’s an example:

Do not stand at my grave and weep;

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

It’s quite a famous poem from the second world war. Although it’s origins are still unknown there is speculation as to who the original author was. Most people believe it was writen by Mary Elizabeth Frye although not everyone is convinced. Even this anonymity, as vague as it is, adds a sence of forboding to the poem. This proves that the unknown has the power to emphasise an artifacts point. It also shows that the unkown doesn’t create meaning, it simply emphasises what meaning is there.