Childhood Memories

Literary modernism came about in the late 19th and early 20th century circa 1850, in and around the start of World War I (WWI) and lasted until the 1950s. Seeking to push away from inherited forms present in Romantic and Victorian poetry, modernist poets abandoned the traditional schemes of rhyme and meter on which classical poetry relied, to pursue a style that could reflect the emergence of a turbulent new world. Modernist poetry is characterized by a focus on strong, concrete imagery, and a commitment to sharp and clear language over ornamented, lofty words or constructions.

Although published in 1920, William Saphier’s poem, “Childhood Memories” likely draws on the themes of Saphier’s early life. Saphier was born in 1886 while Romania was under the rule of King Carol I who worked to restore the country’s territories. At the start of the WWI in 1914, Romania was landlocked by superpowers Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia, and the relatively smaller nation sought to remain neutral. However, Romania joined the war in 1916, expanding their borders through the incorporation of Transylvania (as well as other lesser known historical regions like Bukovina and Bessarabia) to form Greater Romania.