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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
The poem's speaker is on board an Allied warship on the English Channel, pitted against German warships. He is haunted by the sight of the city of Warsaw burning during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, and images of a living 'barricade' of Polish civilians being crushed by German tanks.
Notes
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English translation of the title: Barricade (Fragments)
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English translation of first line: Night. The ship rocks rhythmically
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Author's note: O.R.P. 'Krakowiak', 16 August 1944.
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The O.R.P. 'Krakowiak' of the Author's note was a British destroyer escort, used by the Polish Navy during World War II. The note seems to imply that the poem draws on the author's own experiences during WWII.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Last amended 12 Nov 2013 11:35:52
Subjects:
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Warsaw,
cPoland,cEastern Europe, Europe,
- English Channel, North Atlantic, Atlantic Ocean,
- 16 Aug 1944
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