Language of Cannons

The 600 soldiers were assaulted by the shots of shells of canons in front and on both sides of them. Still, they rode courageously forward toward their own deaths: "Into the jaws of Death / Into the mouth of hell / Rode the six hundred."The soldiers struck the enemy gunners with their unsheathed swords ("sabres bare") and charged at the enemy army while the rest of the world looked on in wonder. They rode into the artillery smoke and broke through the enemy line, destroying their Cossack and Russian opponents. Then they rode back from the offensive, but they had lost many men so they were "not the six hundred" any more.Canons behind and on both sides of the soldiers now assaulted them with shots and shells. As the brigade rode "back from the mouth of hell," soldiers and horses collapsed; few remained to make the journey back.

This poem shows how cannons were used throughout the years and how no matter the technology there will always be valiant men and women that will charge into "the mouth of hell". It makes you think how it must have felt to be in the midst of such warfare and how warfare in general has become less "up close and personal".


The piece of music called "Overture of 1812" is related because it tells a story of battle. The music goes deep into what i believe to be an 18th century battle. It shows many angles including cannon fire and the charging in of troops toward the cannon fire. It evokes many emotions and most of which the soldies in battle feel. The Music allows for the listener to see the battle take place, to see how warfare was waged, to imagine all inside their head the cannons, soldiers, and battle forces of battles raged in the past.