1) We know that the first stanza sets the scene for Vaudevue’s death because the writes ‘left by the ebbing tide of battle’. This means that she was left behind by the battle. This is very likely meaning that she was left for dead by the aftermath of war.

2) This poem uses features which gives the idea that it takes place in the future. An example of this is ‘left behind by the ebbing tide of war’. This means vaudevue was left behind by the war or battle. Then it says ‘on the field of Austrelitz’. Austrelitz was a battle in he Napoleaonic wars. This poem describes the aftermath story for a specific character, in this case Vaudevue the girl soldier.

3) The poet repeats the word alone. This is significant to creating sadness because you would usually link the word alone to someone who is depressed or sad. Stevie Smith uses rhyming in the first stanza. He uses alone and stone. This could be a use to make an effect. The effect is that the poet links the word stone to alone. Vaudevue is on a stone all alone. Stevie Smith uses words like swiftly severing to describe the movement of the water in the lake