O What Is That Sound - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

Firstly, the story is told through the use of ballad form, which means the poem is slightly more upbeat.  This adds a certain ironic aspect the poem, as it discusses quite a serious topic (war) yet with a more upbeat tone.  Moreover, there is a lot of use of repetition to tell the story, such as ‘O what is that sound which so thrills the ear’ and ‘O what is that light I see flashing so clear’.  This repetition may be to represent how each day seems the same in war and life gets very repetitive.  The fact that ‘O’ is repeated so much also gives the idea of a cry for help, or a lament, showing the soldier’s helplessness. 

Enjambment is also a key feature of the poem, and is used frequently for example: ‘their boots are heavy on the floor // And their eyes are burning’, possibly used by Auden to symbolise how time drags on for the soldiers who are fighting in the war. The use of metaphorical language also sticks out in the poem, such as stanza seven which contains phrases such as ‘Stay with me here’ and ‘No, I promised to love you, dear // But I must be leaving’ to represent how the narrator is thinking back to when he had to leave his wife to come to war, but possible also the relatives who have had to say goodbye to the men they have lost through war.

Finally, more repetition is used in each of the stanzas, repeating key words such as ‘drumming’ and ‘horses’.  These words are linked to the theme of war, and may be used by Auden to exaggerate the theme of war throughout the poem, and keep a serious feel that would contrast to the form that it is written in. 

James Honeyman - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

• ABCB rhyme scheme, apart from first stanza. Possible showing how he didn't fit in from the very beginning of his life.
• Use of several settings e.g. school and his shed at the bottom of the garden. Narrative moves through the locations.
• First 11 stanzas give context, a background to his life.  Shows his love for science 'But he doesn't play with the other boys' isolation.
• Auden seems to follow people to their death, shown in this poem as well as others, e.g. Victor, Miss Gee. 
• Themes of War, ambition, isolation, responsibility (links with morality of poem)
• We see two sides of him, a seemingly nice man has created a killer gas that is used against his own country during the war. 
• Stanza 6, about 5 years told in one stanza, very rapid pace which slows down later in the poem (like Victor).
• Use of different voices - subjective opinions. 
• 'With Imperial Alkali' Opposite of Acid (acid seen as dangerous) he left safety to work with dangerous chemicals.
• Final 3 stanzas, repetition of 'Oh', like a lament, talking about how his gas has killed thousands.

As I Walked Out One Evening - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

• ABCB rhyme scheme, ballad form, typical of Auden's style. Written in the first person, once again taking on a character.
• References to Clocks and Time frequently, 'Time watches from the shadow', 'You cannot conquer time' gives idea of time being a key feature of the poem
• Repetition e.g. 'O look, look...O look'. Almost like a lament/cry for help. 
• 'You will love your crooked neighbor' links to bible quote 'love you neighbor as yourself', but 'crooked' adds a twisted aspect to it.
• 'And the deep river ran on', 'And the river jumps over the mountain', personification of the river. River represents how life carries on regardless.

Victor - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

• ABCB rhyming scheme, ballad form. Adds a more song-like feel, almost a cautionary tale? Warning of what happens when you cheat / turn away from God.
• Stanzas show progression of time, each stanza shows a different event in Victor's life.
• Stanzas also show change in pace. At the beginning, each stanza could be a year or a month, towards the end lots of stanzas are used to describe the events of one day.
• This poem is more typical of Auden's style, regular rhyme scheme, ballad form.
• Quatrains throughout, no irregularities in this respect. Different voices used, ''Have you ever had a woman' they said'. Anna's voice also used frequently.
• 'It was a frosty december' references to dates give idea of time.
• 'Climbed into bed, took his Bible and read // Of what happened to Jezebel' Jezebel was fed to dogs for cheating on her husband, his future wife is going to cheat on him - foreshadowing.
• When calling for 'Father' later on in the poem (stanzas 22-26), could mean God or his own father, ambiguous. Biblical references once again used.
• 'But ace of spades reversed' ace of spades is associated with death, foreshadowing.
• 'I am Alpha and Omega' First and last letters of Greek alphabet, Jesus and God, religious links once again.

1st September 1939 - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

• Not written in ballad form which is typical of Auden's poetry, links to Musee des Beaux Arts in this way. Free Verse, no rhyme scheme or rhythm.
• Like a monologue/inner voice, lots of enjambement ('All the conventions conspire // To make this fort assume) which exaggerates this idea. Stream of thoughts.
• Also stands out in Auden's poetry as there is not character, it is just Auden himself talking to the reader, rather than using a different narrative voice. 
• 1939 - Just before the start of the second world war lots of links to this throughout, e.g. 'Into this neutral air', Hitler slowly becoming a dictator, dictator's prefer neutrality. 'Blind Skyscrapers' lots of power but no vision?
• 'Where blind skyscrapers use // Their full height to proclaim // The strength of Collective Man' - Published world wide in Newspapers after 911 mainly because of this stanza.
• 'On Fifty Second Street' Sets the scene, Englishman in a dive in New York.
• 'What mad Nijinsky wrote // About Diaghilev' Lovers who worked for the Ballet Rous, had a stormy relationship.  Representation of the world at that time, countries had very stormy relationship, just before the outbreak of war. 
• 'I will be true to the wife, I'll concentrate more on my work'  Only time in the poem that other voices are used, and it is a chorus of voices, not one person.  Almost like a pledge.
• Repetition of 'Who' (lines 75-78) almost as if he is pleading with society 'all i have is a voice // To undo the folded lie' woeful.