Life in the trenches - poem

2nde

Life in the Trenches WWI

Final Task: Write a diary entry from the point of view of a soldier in the trenches

Learning objectives:vocabulary: military, strong verbs and adjectiveslanguage: past tenses, present perfect culturel: WWI poetry

Thématique: Le passé dans le présent

- World War I: life in the trenches - How is war represented in art?

Unit 3

Suicide in the Trenchesby Siegfried Sassoon (1918)

I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.

Now listen to Ms Higgins.

by Siegfried Sassoon

Suicide in the the Trenches

Watch English actor Stephen Graham reading 'Suicide in the Trenches'. Watch how he changes from a smiley friendly character to an angry, violent one.

VIDEO