The New Morning: Poems

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

21029

Title

The New Morning: Poems

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Alfred Noyes's *The New Morning* is a poignant collection of war poetry and lyrical verse written during and after World War I. Blending patriotic fervor with deep personal grief, the book honors fallen soldiers while exploring themes of sacrifice, enduring love, and spiritual resilience. With rhythmic intensity and vivid imagery, Noyes captures the chaos of battle and the quiet peace of memory, offering a timeless meditation on the cost of war and the enduring power of the human spirit.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1918, Alfred Noyes's *The New Morning* stands as a profound testament to his poetic voice during the First World War. The collection opens with a dedication to Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, a soldier who died serving England, immediately establishing a tone of reverence for those who sacrificed their lives. The volume captures the unity of nations through "The Avenue of the Allies," where flags of France, Britain, Belgium, and Italy dance in the night wind as symbols of shared liberty. On the Western Front, Noyes shifts to a somber reflection in "On the Western Front," finding a strange, deep peace among the dead where silence speaks louder than gunshots. Written after a service at Trinity Church, New York, the poem "Victory" confronts the grim reality that victory is measured in lives lost, with a million dead calling from beyond. The collection also features American poems from 1912–1917, such as "Rlic and Motherland," which expresses a longing for home amidst the American landscape, and "Nippon," a dreamlike vision of Japan's snow-covered peaks. Sea poems like "The People's Fleet" evoke the rugged life of trawlers, while miscellaneous pieces like "The Chimney-sweeps of Cheltenham" display Noyes's versatility and wit. Throughout the work, Noyes weaves together the personal and the political, the sacred and the secular. The epilogue, "The Reward of Song," reflects on the purpose of poetry as a cry of love seeking an answering song. By blending historical documentation with universal elegy, Noyes creates a collection that honors the fallen while exploring the enduring power of love, beauty, and the human spirit against the backdrop of war and change.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Poetry