The universal soldier poem is talking about how soldiers come in different heights and countries and different beliefs. It also says soldiers have been fighting for 1000 years that means war has been around for that long.

I like this poem because it is very interesting and talks how long war has been around.      

Universal Soldier

    This poem is about soldiers from all over the world. It includes different heights and different weaponry. This poem is very special to me. They talk about all soldiers in one person. It speaks to me and I can't explain how much I love it. I know they don't want to kill, but they want to protect their friends and family.

    The second stanza is about the different backrounds of the soldier. It mentions Canada, France, USA, Rusia and Japan. I think the author is trying to tell us that she disagrees with the last line. "And he thinks he'll put an end to war this way." I don't think you can solve violence with more violence. It's down right impossible to do so.

    The third stanza is about what he is fighting for. Is he fighting for democracy(fairness and equality)or fighting for the reds(the king and queen and unfairness)? "He says it's for the peace of all." Again, I do NOT know why you would have violence to stop violence. It is like killing people to try and stop murders. You are only hurting yourself. For the last line, it was hard for me to figure out. It was kind of confusing. When I looked it up, I went,"OHHH. So that's what it means." It means you never see what's coming next,like, say if I hit someone(not that I would), that person who I hit would probobly hit me back. If I didn't I wouldn't see the writing on the wall.

    The fourth stanza is about how would have Hitler condemned Jews at Dachau. Without the soldiers, we don't know half the stuff Hitler would have continued. IF people carried on his ways, what would the world be like? Horrible to live in, that's what the world would be like. It also speaks about the soldier giving himself as a weapon to the war. I agree; when you are a soldier, you might as well as be a big gun. Without the people controlling the gun, the gun wouldn't work and war would not go on. They give themselves to work the gun and be a weapon.

    The last stanza is about how we can not stop war by doing more actions of violence. I do not think that soldiers are to blame for war. They do do the actions of violence that cause war, but they get their orders from the generals. Where do they get their orders from? They get their orders from politictions. Where do polititions get their orders from. US. Some people want more from different places and tell polititions, then they tell govners, then they tell the army. I think if we try, we can put an end to war and the world will be at peace.

Universal Soldier

                                                                                                       

    In the first and second stanzas, the first stanza describes the soldiers by their age, height, and belief/religions. It's just saying that there were different soldiers at different times in life that they would fight in wars. But the would fight for the same reason, to bring peace to everyone. In the second stanza, it talks about what kinds of soldiers fighting for their countries. They list countries that have been fighting with each other in World War II. I thought that the poet was saying that fighting in war will not stop war and bring peace.

    In the third and fourth stanzas, the third stanza talks about fighting for the people you care about, like family, will not stop the death of people. When it says 'and he never sees the writing on the wall,' I thought the poet was saying that soldiers don't know that they are killing innocent people and affecting other peoples lives. In the fourth stanza, the poet is saying fighting in war, will not end war. That made me think of the saying, 'violence will not solve anything.'

    I can relate to this poem because my two grandfathers went to war in World War II. I didn't know them until the came back. I was very fortunate to have my grandfather's come back home safe will open arms from family and friends.

 

                                      BY: Smiley Face =D

      Universal Soldier

   The Poem Universal soldier was written by Buffy Saint-Marie. This poem talks about war, people of different cultures, shapes, sizes, ages and beliefs. People go to war for mostly the same reason, to protect their love ones from danger. But the killing and the guns blasting everlasting will never end; some people think it's the right thing to do. War is endless, war will never end once it started it won't end until one country is completely destroyed.


    This poem is wonderful, I personally admire it a lot it truly is a piece of work. If someone ever attacked Toronto and one of my family has harmed I wouldn't conceder joining the army to take revenge for and take someone's life it's not like killing them can bring my family members, I would be very angry and frustrated that they did die but deep inside I know that a part of me will want to join the army to take revenge



                     By: francie009

Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier

In the first stanza of the poem "Universal Soldier," the poet Buffy Sainte-Marie was trying to say that all soldiers are different. Soldiers are different heights, ages and use different weapons. They  have different beliefs and different thoughts about killing. The poet is saying there has been soldiers throughout time. For thousands of years.    

In the second stanza, the poet is saying soldiers fight for different countries and they think the will put an end to war by defeating other countries. They think by defeating other countries at war, they would get more power.   

In the third stanza, the poet is trying to say that soldiers fight for their rights and their country so there would be peace. But soldiers don't see the real reason because the more a country fights, the more the other countries would fight back so there will never be peace until some country stops.  

In the fourth stanza, the poet is saying that soldiers save others so without Hitler's army, Caesar would have stood alone. He used his own body as a weapon to kill other soldiers so he was the one to blame because he was the worst soldier among all. He made his own orders to kill so this way war will never end.     

I would like to end my description of this poem by saying war/fighting is never the answer and you should respect soldiers for they respect you.

-Adam 

Universal Soldiers

                I think the poet in Universal Soldier, is trying to tell us that, you can't stop war by having more violence and creating a bigger war. Stopping war seems impossible, but this poet "Buffy Sainte-Marie," understands that, and vents all her feeling in to this beautiful poem.

            In the 1^st stanza I think the poet is trying to say that no matter what height, age, belief, you are or what weapons you use, all the soldiers that have been coming for thousands of years are all the same. They know it's probably not the right thing to do but the disregard it, and do it anyway. To some people, doing the right thing always comes second, but in some cases, soldiers have no choice but to be in war.

            In the 2^nd stanza, I think, the poet is trying to say that no matter why or who you're fighting for, it doesn't make a difference, and it won't stop anything. It is just like saying, if you throw a bucket of water into a puddle, it just makes a bigger puddle. If you add more violence into a war, you just get a bigger war.

            In the 3^rd stanza, I think the poet is trying to say, that the people say they know what they're doing, when it's the wrong thing and they continue doing it. Even if the message is crystal clear, they still don't seem to get it. Also I think the poet is trying to say, that no one is the judge of your life, you control your own life.

In the 4^th stanza, I think the poet is trying to say that these people who are trying to help us and put an end to war, are making it worse. These are the same people who helped & encouraged Caesar and Hitler.

            In the 5^th stanza, I think the poet is trying to say that although these people,  instead of creating peace are creating war, so they're the ones to blame.

In the 6^th stanza, I think, the poet is trying these people no longer do thing to please others, they do it to please themselves, and also that violence is never the answer to war.

            This poem was a very true, heart-felt, beautiful poem. I agree with pretty much everything she wrote. I especially liked the part when she wrote "he's the one who gives his body as a weapon to a war." I liked it because it was so true; he sacrificed his body and used it as a weapon. In the poem she wrote about why people fight, how these people look, why there's war, what happens at war and why it should be stopped. I also liked the part where she related to Hitler and Caesar, being helped by these soldiers.

            Waiting for war to stop, is like waiting for rain in this drought… it never comes along.

                                                                                                                    By Danielle

Universal Soldier

                      Universal soldier

The poet made this poem about soldiers in war. I think the 1st stanza is about the differences of each soldier like height, weapon, age, and religion. After it talks about why the soldier doesn't want to kill but has to for his friend. I think the 2nd stanza is saying that the soldier fights in wars just to stop wars by winning them. I think the 3rd stanza is talking about him fighting for peace and democracy in war but he should know it just makes more war. I think the 4th stanza is saying that he was the one who started all these wars and continued them. He fights in the war for his family but it just makes the wars worst.

                                                                                                   -Ryan M 

The Universal Soldier

The Universal Soldier By: Buffy Sainte-Marie

     

           In the first first stanza the poet talks about different soldiers over the course of time that where different height, age, had different weapons, and their religion/ beliefs where also different. Soldiers know not to kill, but they do it for their families and friends anyway. I think Sainte-Marie is trying to say that war has been going on for thousands of years and many people get involved. When the poet says, "and he knows he shouldn't kill, and he knows he always will," I think it means they don't want to kill, but no mater what, people will always be getting killed in war.

         The second stanza Sainte-Marie is talking about the different countries that have either fought together, or against each other in war. The poet writes, "and he thinks we'll put an end to war this way," the poet is trying to say that people think that they will put an end to war with more war. This isn't a very good idea because the more you do something to someone else, the more they want to do to you, this will keep going until one side stops fighting, or they have no one to fight for them, so they can't fight any more. 

        The poet writes, " He says it's for the peace of all, He is the one how must decide, who's to live and who's to die, and he never sees the writing on the wall," in the third stanza. The soldier that is fighting decides who gets to live and go back to their family, and who dies and never see their family again. I think when the poet says, " and he never sees the writing on the wall," Sainte-Marie is referring to when he says, " He says it's for the peace of all," I don't understand, what is the peace in fighting and war?

        " But without him how would Hitler condemned the Dachau, Without him Caesar would have stood alone," the poet writes this in the fourth stanza. I think this means that without soldiers their would be no war. Later in the fourth stanza Saint-Marie says " he is a universal soldier and he is really to blame," I agree and disagree with this. I agree with this because without soldiers there would be no one to fight, but I disagree because when a country goes to war the soldiers decide go to defend their country and the people they love.

         In the fifth and final stanza the poet writes, " His orders come from far away no more, They come from him and you and me, and brothers can't you see, this is not how we put an end to war." In this final stanza Sainte-Marie means a soldiers  orders to keep killing come from himself, he can choose to stop any time, but he does not. In the last line when he writes " this is not a way to put an end to war," he is saying, in war we are fighting for peace, but where is the peace in fighting?

        

Christina P

Universal Soldier Blog

Universal Soldier Blog

This poem is about soldiers. These soldiers come from different religions, culture and countries. The soldiers are physically different in age and height. They fight for different countries like Canada, France, USA, Russia and Japan. They believe that they are fighting for democracy and for peace. The soldiers are tools for people like Hitler and Caesar. They give up there lives for their leaders.

The poet thinks that war is wrong but there is no way to stop it.  People in every country and nation fight wars because they believe that their way of thinking is right.  They fight for freedom and democracy because they believe it is worth fighting for.

The poet thinks that universal soldiers are to blame for war.  She believes that they know that they shouldn't kill but still do so.  Those soldiers decide who lives and who dies by deciding whether or not to following orders.  I think if all soldiers decided not to fight then there will be no wars.

                                                                                                                  Tiffany K.

Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier

In the poem, Universal Soldier, the poet, Buffy Sainte-Marie, says many different but interesting things about soldiers.  The poet shows that even though soldiers are different and unique, the majority of soldiers feel the same way about war.

The first stanza is saying that no matter what size, age, weapons used, beliefs, or what time period they came from, soldiers all feel sorry when they kill another soldier.  Soldiers know it is wrong, however, the only reason they do it is for their family and friends.  They want to protect the ones that they love.    

Soldiers are fighting for peace, no more war. That is what the second stanza is saying.  Many different countries are at war like Canada, France, USA, Russia, and Japan, and all that the soldiers want is peace.  I wonder if people realize that there is no peace in fighting.  Peace is when every one is happy and in agreement, not fighting.  I have never heard about anything good coming from war aside from seeing your loved one come back home safely.

The third stanza is saying that each soldier is fighting for something different.  Though, I understand that some soldiers have no choice whether or not they want to fight.  In this stanza the poet says "And he never sees the writing on the wall." This means that the people who start war do not see that it does not solve anything.  All it does is demolish countries and kill innocent people.  The war only stops when a country surrenders and after the war is over, does the country that wants a democracy then have a democracy?

In the fourth and fifth stanza, the poet is saying that the only reason war happens is because of the soldiers who fight.  If the soldiers were not around who would fight.  Maybe the leaders of the different countries will fight one another.  However, if one country has an army you have to have one too because if a country attacks yours you have to be prepared.

The sixth stanza is saying that having war does not put an end to war.  It does not matter what angle you look at it, it just does not add up.  To me it is like trying to stop fighting with fighting.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  It is not logical and does not make sense.

Both of my grandfathers had to join the army for their countries.  They did not go to war but they had to train.  They had to train hard, every single day no ifs, ands, or buts.  The stories they tell my siblings and I seem scary and to have to be forced to go to the army is unfair.  I can not even think what would go through my head if I had to go war, or what my parents would feel like if I did.  I can just imagine what war is like and I hope that people realize that war is not solving problems but just causing them.  Plus, I am extremely grateful that neither one of my grandfathers had to go.

-Ashley