At the beginning of `The Horses', Muir introduces the whole situation around a year after the seven days war. The biblical reference of the nuclear attack is an analogy of the creation of the world in seven days. The layout of the poem is set out detailing what happened everyday during those seven days and is similar to that of the creation of the world in the book of genesis. Towards the end, the radio failed so there was no contact with other survivors. This symbolises the day of rest on the seventh day. The repetition of the word speaks shows that they're afraid of technology causing the same destruction as before.

"We would not let it bring that old bad world"

The image of the tractors...