On being asked for a War Poem

The poem was prefaced with a note stating: "It is the only thing I have written of the war or will write, so I hope it may not seem unfitting.

The poem's original title, "To a friend who has asked me to sign his manifesto to the neutral nations," appears, in the words of Jim Haughey, to have a "toysome evasiveness" regarding the politics surrounding the war.

[5] Although there are minute variations in the wording of the version published in The Book of the Homeless and the one found in The Wild Swans at Coole, the poem's overall form remained the same even as the title changed.

The mention of the word "silent" in the title published in Wharton's collection, appears contrary to the construction of poetry or the poetic voice.

"[8] I think it better that in times like these A poet's mouth be silent, for in truth We have no gift to set a statesman right; He has had enough of meddling who can please A young girl in the indolence of her youth, Or an old man upon a winter’s night.