The mortar's distinctive arcing trajectory and delayed impact create a particular kind of poetic dread, as soldiers must endure the whistling approach of a shell before its explosive arrival. War poets used mortar fire to capture the psychological torment of anticipation under bombardment, where death announces itself audibly before striking. This weapon's indirect nature also symbolizes the impersonal, almost random quality of destruction in modern trench warfare.

A mortar is a short-barreled weapon that fires shells in a high arc, used for indirect attacks on enemy positions. Mortars are portable, simple to operate, and effective in providing close fire support to infantry. Their high trajectory allows them to hit targets behind cover. In poetry, the mortar is often the "hellfire" that rains down from above, the weapon of the foot soldier that brings the most immediate destruction. Related terms include artillery, howitzer, and grenade launcher. The mortar's distinctive sound—a "thump" followed by the incoming round's whistle—is a classic auditory image of combat. Mortar crews work in teams, adjusting fire based on the spotter's calls.