Poem- "Weapons Training" essay facts sheet
Weapons Training is a piece of war poetry written by Bruce Dawe in 1970. It is a dramatic monologue, written from the perspective of a battle-hardened Air Force Drill Sergeant.
Weapons Training has very little use of punctuation to emphasize the rate of which he is speaking. The lack of punctuation makes the persona seem as though they are ranting on. The purpose of the abuse is to get the recruits ready for the worst, which the persona knows, will happen.
This harsh and insulting language used in the poem helps motivate the young recruits to face the harsh reality of the battlefield in war.
And when I say eyes right I want to hear those eyeballs click and the gentle pitter-patter of falling dandruff you there what's the matter why are you looking at me are you a queer? look to your front if you had one more brain it'd be lonely what are you laughing at you in the back row with the unsightly fat between your elephant ears open that drain you call a mind and listen remember first the cockpit drill when you go down be sure the old crown-jewels are safely tucked away what could be more distressing than to hold off with a burst from your trusty weapon a mob of the little yellows only to find back home because of your position your chances of turning the key in the ignition considerably reduced? allright now suppose for the sake of argument you've got a number-one blockage and a brand-new pack of Charlies are coming at you you can smell their rotten fish-sauce breath hot on the back of your stupid neck allright now what are you going to do about it? that's right grab and check the magazine man it's not a woman's tit worse luck or you'd be set too late you nit they're on you and your tripes are round your neck you've copped the bloody lot just like I said and you know what you are? You're dead, dead, dead
Notes per line:
The poem starts in the middle of a sentence, giving the impression that we might have fallen asleep like one of
Weapons Training has very little use of punctuation to emphasize the rate of which he is speaking. The lack of punctuation makes the persona seem as though they are ranting on. The purpose of the abuse is to get the recruits ready for the worst, which the persona knows, will happen.
This harsh and insulting language used in the poem helps motivate the young recruits to face the harsh reality of the battlefield in war.
And when I say eyes right I want to hear those eyeballs click and the gentle pitter-patter of falling dandruff you there what's the matter why are you looking at me are you a queer? look to your front if you had one more brain it'd be lonely what are you laughing at you in the back row with the unsightly fat between your elephant ears open that drain you call a mind and listen remember first the cockpit drill when you go down be sure the old crown-jewels are safely tucked away what could be more distressing than to hold off with a burst from your trusty weapon a mob of the little yellows only to find back home because of your position your chances of turning the key in the ignition considerably reduced? allright now suppose for the sake of argument you've got a number-one blockage and a brand-new pack of Charlies are coming at you you can smell their rotten fish-sauce breath hot on the back of your stupid neck allright now what are you going to do about it? that's right grab and check the magazine man it's not a woman's tit worse luck or you'd be set too late you nit they're on you and your tripes are round your neck you've copped the bloody lot just like I said and you know what you are? You're dead, dead, dead
Notes per line:
The poem starts in the middle of a sentence, giving the impression that we might have fallen asleep like one of