Question

a nation dividing and expanding: civil war, regionalism, and realism
war is kind
by stephen crane
do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.
because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
and the affrighted steed ran on alone.
do not weep.
war is kind.
hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,
little souls who thirst for fight,
these men were born to drill and die.
the unexplained glory flies above them,
great is the battle - god, great, and his kingdom—
a field where a thousand corpses lie.
do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
because your father tumbled in the yellow trenches,
raged at his breast, gulped and died,
do not weep.
war is kind.
swift blazing flag of the regiment,
eagle with crest of red and gold,
these men were born to drill and die.
point for them the virtue of slaughter,
make plain to them the excellence of killing
and a field where a thousand corpses lie.
mother whose heart hung humble as a button
on the bright splendid shroud of your son,
do not weep.
war is kind.
the colored soldiers
by paul laurence dunbar
if the muse were mine to tempt it
and my feeble voice were strong,
if my tongue were trained to measures,
i would sing a stirring song
i would sing a song heroic
of those noble sons of ham,
how are the themes of \the colored soldiers\ and \war is kind\ different?
\war is kind\ suggests the
certainty of wars injustice,
while \the colored soldiers\
suggests that war can have
positive outcomes.
\war is kind\ presents a
romantic view of war, while
\the colored soldiers\
presents a more realistic view
of war.
\war is kind\ focuses on the
individual against nature, while
\the colored soldiers\
focuses on the individual
against self.
\war is kind\ implies that war
can be a unifying force, while
\the colored soldiers\ implies
that war is exclusively a
dividing force.

Explanation:

"War Is Kind" by Stephen Crane repeatedly says "war is kind" in a sarcastic way. It shows the horror of war like soldiers dying ("A field where a thousand corpses lie"). It's a critique of the false idea of war being glorious. "The Colored Soldiers" by Paul Laurence Dunbar, if we assume it's about soldiers (maybe African - American soldiers) in a more positive light (the start of the poem implies a heroic song), suggests that war can have positive outcomes (like fighting for a cause, showing heroism).

Answer:

"War Is Kind" suggests the certainty of war’s injustice, while "The Colored Soldiers" suggests that war can have positive outcomes.