What does the speaker mean by poetry when he says There was no poetry in the camp Do you think he is referring to literature-that is to written verse what else might he mean by poetry?
Since I do not have the entire poem I can only guess. In this sense it seems that he meant there was no enjoyment only work. He doesn't use the word to mean actual poetry, but as an adjective or verb as an experience. I can say that the subway train was poetry on wheels because of the way it moved through the station and people got on and off. I don't mean it is real poetry but a personification of it.