The poem describes soldiers resting before entering a battle during the spring offensive. They take in their surroundings and feel readied for battle by the cold wind. As they peer over a hill, they see the flares of battle in the distance. They then race over the hill together and enter the fray, surfing bullets. After the battle, they return with an air of peace, though the extreme situations of war hang heavily on their souls. The poet conveys the soldiers' feelings of pain and remorse for those lost as well as their need to escape such pains, even if just briefly.