Blood and suffering
In the poem “Sergei Mironovitch Kirov”, the narrator mentions how nothing comes to life without being accompanied by blood and screams. While this is an allusion made to the rise of power of the Communist Party, the blood is used here as a symbol to suggest the pain caused by the violent measures taken by the Communist Leaders and how these measures affected the people living under the Communist influence a great deal of pain.
Humans have no control over their lives
In the poem “Full Moon At Tierz: Before The Storming Of Huesca”, the major motif which we can find is the idea that humanity has no power over their lives. The narrator starts by analyzing the past which is, without a doubt, not subject to change. Then, the present is described as being influenced by a myriad of elements over which we have no control over. The future is also described as a very uncertain time, a time when no one can be certain about the outcome.
Bullets
The last stanza in the poem “Full Moon At Tierz: Before The Storming Of Huesca” ends with the description of a large number of bullets traveling across a large open field at a very high speed. The bullets are used in this context as a symbol which represents the passing of time and how at times time seems to be passing extremely quickly.
Symbol for danger
The bombing of the location where the narrator is situated in the poem “A Letter from Aragon” is foreshadowed by the presence of a thick cloud of dust, visible from a great distance. The cloud of smoke alerts the soldiers of the presence of the enemy and because of this reason, the cloud of dust is used as a symbol for danger.
Symbol for death
In “to Margot Heinemann” the narrator presents the real dangers which exist on the battlefield and transmits the idea that there is a possibility he will never return home. Instead of writing about his death, the narrator describes himself descending into a shallow grave which, in this case, it is a symbol used to refer to the sudden and at times, violent death, soldiers have to deal with.
