Anthem for Doomed Youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Quick facts about “Anthem for Doomed Youth”
- Author
- Wilfred Owen
- First line
- What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Length
- 14 lines in 2 stanzas
- Time to learn
- about 7 minutes
Questions about “Anthem for Doomed Youth”
Who wrote “Anthem for Doomed Youth”?
“Anthem for Doomed Youth” was written by Wilfred Owen.
What is the first line of “Anthem for Doomed Youth”?
The first line of “Anthem for Doomed Youth” is: “What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?”
How long is “Anthem for Doomed Youth”?
“Anthem for Doomed Youth” is 14 lines long, in 2 stanzas.
How long does it take to memorize “Anthem for Doomed Youth”?
Plan on about 7 minutes in the Memorizun trainer, which hides words and letters step by step so you recall the text instead of rereading it. A few short sessions on separate days help it stick.
What is the best way to memorize “Anthem for Doomed Youth”?
Read it aloud once or twice, then use the trainer to hide more of the text each round until you can say it without looking. Learn it stanza by stanza, then join the stanzas together. Review it again the next day.
