Life — February 7, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page **Top illustration:** A satirical scene labeled with letters L, I, F, E showing the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Soldiers stand guard at a gate marked "BERLIN" while civilians interact nearby. This appears to reference post-WWI Berlin during occupation or a period of military control. **"The Balm of the Makin's"** is a poem by Owen B. Winters mocking soldiers' experiences in trenches during WWI—describing mud, cold, artillery fire, and modest comforts like cigarettes and sweaters. It's darkly humorous verse about enduring wartime hardships. **"Ordinary"** presents a brief restaurant joke contrasting a guest's question about "ordinary" meals with the waiter's sardonic reply about profit margins—likely satirizing wartime or post-war economic adjustments and inflation. The page reflects American satirical commentary on WWI consequences and contemporary social conditions.