Today, as I rode by,
I saw the brown leaves dropping from their tree
In a still afternoon,
When no wind whirled them whistling to the sky,
But thickly, silently,
They fell, like snowflakes wiping out the noon;
And wandered slowly thence
For thinking of a gallant multitude
Which now all withering lay,
Slain by no wind of age or pestilence,
But in their beauty strewed
Like snowflakes falling on the Flemish clay.
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Comments
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this must have been huge in those days!
From guest vari (contact)
you can tell this poem is written with great care in words. It came in good use for my homelearing project based on Margaret Postgate Cole. -
Hnk999-
It is about war but World War 1, not World War 2.
Charley Noble -
I haven't really read much classical poetry but I really think I should start. As someone else said, this does sound like it is about World War II. All the unnecessary killings... Here's what I think the poem means. The brown leaves dropping from the trees are those being murdered during World War II and the tree is the race they come from. They were all murdered in large numbers and people "silently" watched this happen because they felt powerless to those murdering the innocent people. *shakes head* Makes me feel teary-eyed thinking of it.
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for Hnk999
Personally I see this poem as a battlefield, moving in slow motion, silent and being watched as a black and white film. the leaves of course are the young men dying on the fields of Flanders, or in fact any field of battle during 1914-1918. I don't feel that the soldiers race or colour come into this at all as they are all seen as a 'gallant multitude' - young men being killed for no good reason, being wiped out whilst trying to help protect their fellow countrymen and women. Cole, I think, has done a beautiful job with this poem but the real point still hits home.
Von - Oldpoetry Team
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does make you wonder of the life behind all things...
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Unoriginality
From guest Jody (contact)
I knew this reminded me of something! I just knew it. I was rating poems on Helium today and came across one really close in theme to this, though it was based on the attacks of 9/11. Plagiarism? Not quite. Not sure if it was intentional, but ignorance is no excuse! ;-): There's less shade in Manhattan now, And it has nothing to do with trees; The sun peeks in and spots you now, Where once its view was screened. Bright Yellow, lift my spirits up, So dark with sick chagrin: Thousands of leaves have fallen down So that you might peek in. -
Margaret Postgate
From guest Mary Moline (contact)
Yes, I have used the beautiful poem, "The Falling Leaves" in my soon to be published book, TREE POEMS, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME. Thanks or your story. The book is being published now. Should be out by August.Thanks for the contact. Mary Moline 7/9/09 -
School
From guest Evans (contact)
I have came across this poem as it was going to be in our final exam therefore we did preperation for this in English. When i had read this poem the first time it occured to me it was about world war one. The e.metaphor used it marvellous as it indirectly explains the unncessary deaths taken.I have also studies many other poems including 'Dulce et Docorum est' which is in great contrast of the this poem due to the style technique used. -
Falling Leaves
From guest Ghausia (contact)
In my English class, I was the first person to realise what this poem was about. The image of the war is portrayed in such a strong way. It's not angry, but sad and thoughtful. There is such a deep meaning. On Friday we were doing a comparative essay on the feelings portrayed in 'Falling Leaves' and 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' and I truly couldn't stop writing! It's a wonderful poem, and as my SATs are coming in 2 weeks, I'm studying it liek mad! -
moving
From guest Natalie (contact)
i love the image of snowflakes falling, somehow its almost a deafened feeling that it gives which i find very appropriate for the theme of the poem (deceased soldiers). after reading it a few times and really thinking about the metaphors, this poem has a big affect on me as the reader. wow -
Falling Leaves
From guest Ed (contact)
I, like many others, am doing this as for English GCSE and although normally I dislike poetry, I have just finished writing a 1500 word essay on this poem and discovered what an incredible poem it is. It is so moving, the thousands of soldiers killed, for no reason, highlighted so well by this poem by its use of powerful metaphors and imagery. -
Falling leaves
From guest N.J.W (contact)
Falling leaves is such an amazing poem, And I was shocked how much you can write about it. I'm doing an essay on it and I keep writing and writing and writing and writing!!! -
Falling leaves
From guest Arjan Brandsma (contact)
I made a song about falling leaves. Watch it on Youtube. Search for 'Arjan Falling Leaves' Hope you like it! -
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^^
From guest spike (contact)
for english coursework i had to do a piece comparing 3 different poems to do with nature, this was one of them and by far my favorite, its so usefull have the poem up on the internet, ^^ saved me alot of typing with quotes and everything, so thank you. -
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Analysis
From guest Kory (contact)
The Falling Leaves : I believe this poem shows how futile the war was by describing the soldiers as “leaves dropping from their tree” with “no wind” which is a direct metaphor because she believes that soldier are “dropping”- killed with “no wind” - no reason. I believe this shows that the war is no reason for people to die and that it is a pointless war. However, she does describe the soldiers as “gallant” which shows she admires them for fighting, even they're fighting for no reason. She also describes the soldiers as “snowflakes” which shows two things. Firstly, it shows that the soldiers are pure an innocent, and therefore do not deserve to die. Also, the snowflakes, when hitting the ground (like soldiers on the battlefield) will melt and disappear. I think this is symbolic of the soldiers who went to war, but like snowflakes their lives were short and is soon gone. This re-inforces the fact the poet believes the war is futile. -
Wonderful metaphor Margaret used throughout these lies; how quickly so many young men died in the first world war; Interesting to read the comments below and how others have used this poem in their school classes.
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Beautiful
Beautiful write. Amazing expression -
Many thanks
From guest charlotte and Hannah (contact)
Thank you for youre words of advice it really helped and our presenation went down a storm!! thanksx -
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Charlotte and Hannah
I'm very pleased you both did well - Well Done!
Von
Oldpoetry
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HELP!
From guest Charlotte and Hannah (contact)
Me and a friend are using this poem for a presentation in class, need help!!...any type will do just need explanation on words and what the poem is basically about???... Many Thanks please comment back Charlotte and Hannah year 11 -
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For Charlotte and Hannah - Look at the date this poem was written - 1915 - First World War - The leaves are the soldiers [gallant multitude] being killed in their thousands for what appears to be no reason at all. If there are comments attached to any poem, read them first you may have your questions aswered for you.
Von
Oldpoetry
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We Are Studying This At The Moment
From guest Lucy Alex Jess Kiri Chelsea Holly (contact)
we have todo this poem for an english lesson and we are finding it very interesting ! four for you marget cole you go marget cole -
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Falling Leaves, great poem, request permission to use in new book, Tree poems since the beginning.
From guest Mary Moline (contact)
Thank you. -
A poignant lament for the millions of young people slain by the ugliness of war.
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What's it about?
From guest Bill (contact)
Just one sentence long, with two main verbs (saw and wandered). The first clause is about the autumn leaves falling, thickly like snowflakes. The second clause is about her thoughts: in 1915 (when this was written) thousands of men were being slaughtered in Flanders, and it horrified and angered the poet. Their bodies withered away like dead leaves. Now the snowflakes simile again, but this time it shows the soldiers (individually pure, beautiful and young) melting away into (or thickly laid upon)the Belgian landscape. -
From guest Kate (contact)
Probably a bit late, I know, but try http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:kIvhxjbKoH8J:www.neale-wade.cambs.sch.uk/revision/files/poetry_mackintosh.doc+%27The+Deserter%27+-+Winifred+M.Letts&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=uk. There's some analysis on there. -
help!!!
From guest jimmy (contact)
I'm studying this poem and do not know what to do as i don't understand it!!!!!!!! -
Short Analysis
From guest Mel (contact)
Poignant, reflective tone. A comparison between leaves and soldiers maintained throughout the poem.Comparison between “thick” carpet of leaves and snow (Natural phenomena) and bodies of soldiers on “Flemish Clay” killed in war (an unnatural death caused by man) Very touching. -
From guest shamima begum (contact)
i really liked this poem i thought it was really touching and very interesting.my friends also liked reading it. they thought it was very uhm relaxing. -
Falling Leaves
From guest Eileen Dawson (contact)
I enjoyed this poem, it gave me a quite visual picture.I am not a poet,I do not write poetry,I'm not clever with poetry, though I do enjoy reading ,reciting and listening to it. I am new to the internet and pleased to find this site. -
this is a beautiful poem:D
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speech notes
"The Falling Leaves" carries an I saw it expression, and not from a pictionary sense but perspective. The tree is replanted in the yard of poems :
"And wandered slowly thence
For thinking of a gallant multitude
Which now all withering lay,"
as a simple comparison between autumn foliage and seasonal water changes, the writer's glove was put on to give its roots proper diameter with every step with what was just a catalog thought early on. Suddenly the flow came that made growth of the idea, the imperative vocabulary that branched it out for a real relook :
"Slain by no wind of age or pestilence"
noting failures were not being massed with what was coming down in the plural.
And deeper yet quite apart from just physical similarity for truth, the last line turned to a place of people who may be standing but are dejected as I belive high rates of that occur more and more anymore.. The word then for the area's ground being "clay" strikes one all over as what might have glue traits for that description but also breaks or doesn't keep form in terms of sustainability in the times.
This evokes to recirculate through the first half of the write where the wintry feel can be felt dryly :
" They fell, like snowflakes wiping out the noon"
if effortlessly loss could happen even peak separation.
I think of the window in a 2nd floor apartment where a tall oak transformed my dad's view from Social Security income to a home with nature but it was like wallpaper because when he opened the door there wasn't a yard but a strip. Yet the fragility could be redrawn how the trunk not otherwise sick would display an effect of having limbs cut off from power as having had paper cuts in their poetry per se.
I myself have a thread of health :
my very legs are stiff as jeans out of a washing machine
yesterday seen now
spliced for dress
no smooth muscle felt just water without wear
that isn't ragged by repair
of no breaks
dansk denim
wooden shoes starting
sans sudsy tumble,
lacking oriention to only the on button
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poem
From guest emma and holly (contact)
hello. emma and i are studying this also. we to, think this poem is top notch!! yes it is a very good poem k bye -
Trees
From guest Mary Moline (contact)
Thank you for allowing to pluch another pearl from your tree of poetry. Am searching for only tree poems for a bookm TREE POEMS...From the Beginning by Mary Moline@aol.com. Have you written any tree poems I might add? -
From guest holly (contact)
hey i think its a good poem i am studying it for my GCSE at the moment its a very good poem -
Not quite as moving as Frost's works. But not withouit it on unique appeal.~~Suseann
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Breathe Taking
The picture created in just 12 lines is quite amazing.
A beautiful poem.
Sammy -
A moving tribute to those fallen on Flander`s fields.
Line 2. I saw the brown leaves dropping from THEIR tree. This led me to believe it was not just a tree,but someone significant`s tree. Confused here.
Line 6 Like snowflakes blotting out the noon. I have known snowflakes used to blot out most things, even sorrow, but never a noon, a moment of time.
Falling leaves is an apt title to associate with soldiers slain in battle. -
well, thats lovely to know.......
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I thought this poem reflects alot on how people were
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great !!
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