The poem describes soldiers resting during the spring of 1914, taking in the beautiful summer scenery before the horrors of war interrupt their brief respite. The soldiers face extreme situations like death, disease, and losing friends. They feel tired from the chaos and have given up, carelessly sleeping on each other. The poet is clearly angry about the war, using words like "fury" to portray the sky's rage and imply the danger and recklessness of their situation.