Subjectively Singaporean

The author is writing from a point of view of a "spectator" of war. He was trying to sympathize with the children in war, saying that the war would deplete the children's childhood, that war "would consume the children's life". 

In the first stanza, he was trying to say that war would "demolish" the children's hopes, as "There are children in the darkness would have not seen the light" suggests. 

In the second stanza, he is saying that war are not allowing children to live the life that they are supposed to have, "chalk and blackboards" suggests that children should be studying at this age however, instead they are going to war. 

In the third stanza, the author was trying to suggest that instead of allowing them to go into war, "couldn't they" give them a chance, to study and live the life they should be. 

In the fourth and fifth stanza, his opinion was that war is cruel and children should not be going to war. 

2. Situation/Setting

The situation in this poem is children going to war and learning how to fight using weapons at a very early age. They could be losing their lives at an very early age. Children should not be going to war because " war will consume their body and soul" and this should not be happening to children instead they should be taught " to read and to dance". 

3. Language/Diction

The author has been using language to express his feeling in this poem. 

In the second stanza, "Chalks and Blackboards" are used to depict a normal children's life that they would lead, that is going to school and learning instead of going to the war. 

In the third stanza, "Could we" is used repeatedly at every line of the stanza and this shows strong feelings that the author has that Children should be learning at this age and emphasizes how war consumes the life of the children. 

In the fourth stanza, War was personified as it "consumed" the children's body and soul, depicting war as a evil creature. Life and bloody was also metaphor to be "poured" into the "thirsty, endless hole" which was the war, once again depicting war as something evil and hopeless and "poured" suggest large amounts. 

4. Personal response

In my personal opinion, I think war is something evil. Children at a young age had to be put on the front line for the country instead of leading the lifes that normal children have. This poem allows us to appreciate the lifes that we have and not complain as there are children in war that have to suffer in the war.