Sunday 12 January 2014

Sunday War Poets..

To commemorate the start of Great War in 1914

I hope to share, over the next few months, the poignant work of the First World War Poets.



Wilfred Edward Salter Owen



1893-1918

Wilfred Owen portrait

Portrait by kind permission

© David Roberts, the War Poetry Website





"All a poet can do today is warn. That is why the true poet must be truthful"




*~*~*

1914

War broke: and now the Winter of the world
With perishing great darkness closes in.
The foul tornado, centred at Berlin,
Is over all the width of Europe whirled,
Rending the sails of progress. Rent or furled
Are all Art's ensigns. Verse wails. Now begin
Famines of thought and feeling. Love's wine's thin.
The grain of human Autumn rots, down-hurled.

For after Spring had bloomed in early Greece,
And Summer blazed her glory out with Rome,
An Autumn softly fell, a harvest home,
A slow grand age, and rich with all increase.
But now, for us, wild Winter, and the need
Of sowings for new Spring, and blood for seed. 


Wilfred Owen


*~*~*

6 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea. I've always been fascinated by wartime poetry, especially after the discussion had in Alan Bennett's The History Boys. I can't wait to read more!

    Nell at And Nell Writes

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    1. Thanks Nell. I'm looking forward to sharing more poems in the weeks to come.

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  2. Brings me back to school when we studied Wilfred Owen's poetry. I remember organising a dramatisation of Dulce et Decorum Est and how moved we were by his poetry despite being sulky teenagers!

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    1. Hi Treez - Dulce et Decorum Est is so realistic - makes me cry every time.
      Thanks for visiting.

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  3. Thanks Josie - I'll be watching out for more.

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    1. Thanks Susan - looking forward to sharing more poems over the coming weeks.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment - Jaffareadstoo appreciates your interest.