Memorial Day - "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak"

Memorial Day - "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak"

Author: Mike Cunha May 25, 2026 Duration: 10:13

A short exploration of the American poet Archibald MacLeish's connection to the First World War, and his poem "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak."



The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak

 

Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them?

 

They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts.

 

They say, We were young. We have died. Remember us.

 

They say, We have done what we could but until it is finished it is not done.

 

They say, We have given our lives but until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave.

 

They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours: they will mean what you make them.

 

They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this.

 

They say, We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning.

 

We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.




The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

 

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

 

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns. 

 

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Hosted by Mike Cunha, Battles of the First World War Podcast is a dedicated exploration of the Great War’s defining confrontations. Each episode focuses on a single battle, moving beyond dates and maps to examine the intricate decisions, tactical realities, and human experiences that shaped these events. Cunha’s approach is to unpack the how and why, piecing together the sequence of command choices, logistical challenges, and frontline conditions that led to each clash’s outcome. Within this framework, the podcast gives voice to the individuals-soldiers, nurses, officers, and civilians-whose personal stories are woven into the larger narrative of this titanic twentieth-century struggle. Listening feels less like a lecture and more like a detailed, respectful reconstruction, where the scale of history is measured in both grand strategy and individual courage. For anyone seeking to understand the First World War beyond the textbook summaries, this series offers a thorough and compelling audio journey into the battles that changed the world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Battles of the First World War Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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