War
The poem,"War is Kind," depicts war as being a violent and unnatural course of nature. The poem depicts the true realities soldiers face during war. He harshly states that “These men were born to drill and die” and will all eventually be slaughtered to death.
Religion
The poem, "A Man Said to the Universe," is one of Crane’s key works depicting the role of God in today’s world. A key feature present in his poem is that of the benevolence of God, who is manifested through various mediums, such as nature. He explores humankind's desperate plea to be recognized by God, through phrases such as “Sir, I exist!” Religion is perhaps a key role in his poetry because Crane himself grew up in a strict household where his father was a Methodist minister.
Love
One of the themes most prominent in his poetry, is that of love. Crane describes love in both positive and negative terms. He describes love as being enthralling and beautiful enough that “the wide world (rolls) away.” However, love is also shown to be a trap, and a way to punish those that deem to express their sexuality.
