Naming of Parts by Henry Reed
Henry Reed (1914 – 1986) was a journalist, radio dramatist and poet. He’s not particularly well known today, but I have always loved his war poem Naming of Parts:
Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all the neighbouring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.
This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.
This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.
And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.
They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, the cocking-piece, and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have the naming of parts.
Henry Reed, 1960
Reed was an airman in World War II, and the poem describes a rifle lesson for young soldiers. He contrasts the technical lesson in how to use an implement which can kill people, with the exquisite beauty of the English countryside. What the men are learning is mechanical and boring. These young men, in training to kill efficiently, should just be revelling in the sounds and scents of the vegetation around them. The splendour of the japonica and blossom, the productive industry of the bees, the strength in the branches – all silently accuse human beings for the chaos and destruction they seem so eager to cause. The poem highlights the horror of man-made war in contrast to the peace and loveliness of nature.
There are two distinct voices within the poem – that of the insensitive and boorish drill instructor, and that of the internal voice of the sensitive recruit who twists the words of the teacher to fit the world he wants to inhabit. For him “easing the spring” is bees sliding in and out of flowers searching for nectar, not the metallic sliding of a rifle breech. Spring, the season of renewal and birth, is being turned into a lesson for death. The poem has sexual connotations in its language (‘parts’ is a euphemism for sexual organs), hinting that this should be a time of fumbling love and sexual energy for young men, not a time spent in military camp learning how to kill.
It seems unnatural to have this compulsive, institutionalised obsession with naming. Perhaps what is most important and beautiful in life cannot be so accurately named? Repetition and alliteration are skilfully used, as is irony.
Listen to a fabulous reading of the poem here: Naming of Parts
Share your thoughts on this poem by leaving a comment.
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red slider
red it as a kid. understood it around the middle. used it as an old man.
Naming of the Parts
—family values have been weaponized
this is the lower sling swivel.
—the pulpit has been weaponized
this is the upper sling swivel.
—the filibuster has been weaponized
this is the piling swivel.
—assault weapons have been weaponized
This is the safety-catch.
—children’s books have been weaponized.
this you can see is the bolt.
—the climate has been weaponized,
We call this easing the spring.
—the violent extremes have been weaponized.
this is the breech.
—gender identity has been weaponized.
this is called the cocking-piece.
—fetuses have been weaponized.
this is the cocking-piece.
—the Supreme Court has been weaponized
this is the cocking-piece.
—vote counts have been weaponized
this is the point of balance.
—witch hunting has been weaponized
which you have not got.
—messaging has been weaponized
You can do it quite easy If you have any strength,
which you have not got.
—an ex-president has been weaponized
which you have got, but cannot get rid of.
red slider, October 2022
*the context is of course American. Adjust to suit for the hubris of your own country.
Susannah Fullerton
I know and love the poem Naming of Parts, but had never come across this version of it before. Many thanks for sharing.
John Thornton
Hi Susannah, it’s obviously some years since you featured this poem and I sought out discussion of it because a brief snippet was quoted by Roger Allam, as DI Thursday, in an ep. of ‘Endeavour’ that I saw repeated last night. Allam captured the banality of the first few lines perfectly, in a flat monotone, that reminded me of the impression it made on me when I first read it 60 years ago.
Susannah Fullerton
Thanks for reminding me that is featured in the fabulous ‘Endeavour’ series. I can just see Roger Allam doing it in a wonderfully deadpan way – just right for those opening lines.
Evelyn Batfay
As soon as I saw the title I remembered this poem from my school days. I am now 66, so it must have made quite an impression on my teenage self. I am delighted to re-read it and find that I still love its clever construction and the seamless movement from the language of banal instruction to lyrical description (and its intermingling). It conjures vivid images in my mind to the point where I feel that I am inside the head of the poet. That’s powerful poetry!
Susannah Fullerton
I am so delighted to have re-introduced you to a poem from your school days. Thanks for letting me know. Yes, it is a powerful and memorable poem.
Barbara McKay
A little treasure for us – thank you Susannah
Susannah Fullerton
Glad you liked it.
Alicia
Thank you, Susannah, for this wonderful poem.
Susannah Fullerton
It is a powerful poem, isn’t it.