1. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.
2. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.
Answer: Dulce et Decorum Est is by Wilfred Owen and is historical fiction. The title is significant as Dulce et Decorum Est (followed by pro patria mori) means that it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. The title is ironic as the unlucky soul that dies to the gas attack does not die sweet or peacefully. It's just another day on the battlefields of World War I . As our speaker, another soldier on the battlefield, lets us know right away, however, "normal" isn't a word that has any meaning for the soldiers anymore. They're all mentally and physically ravaged by the exertions of battle.
And then it gets worse. Just as the men are heading home for the night, gas shells drop beside them. The soldiers scramble for their gas masks in a frantic attempt to save their own lives. Unfortunately, they don't all get to their masks in time. Our speaker watches as a member of his crew chokes and staggers in the toxic fumes, unable to save him from an excruciating certain death.
Now fast-forward. It's some time after the battle, but our speaker just can't get the sight of his dying comrade out of his head. The soldier's image is everywhere: in the speaker's thoughts, in his dreams, in his poetry. Worst of all, our speaker can't do anything to help the dying soldier.
Bitterly, the speaker finally addresses the people at home who rally around the youth of England, and urge them to fight for personal glory and national honor. He wonders how they can continue to call for war. If they could only witness the physical agony war creates – or even experience the emotional trauma that the speaker's going through now – the speaker thinks they might change their views. In the speaker's mind, there's noting glorious or honorable about death. Or, for that matter, war itself.
Explanation: 100% on it
Whoever says paraphrase is wrong it's a quotation
