For a recent project in my high school English class, we had to find a poet and do a bit of research on their style, background, technique, etc. The assignment was to find 10 poems by an author, and provide a biography and analysis of the poems. I came across Wilfred Owen, discussed things a bit with my teacher, and she allowed me to alter the project a bit. I’m now reading poems by the three authors listed: Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Robert Graves.
I soon discovered the true talent of these poets, especially Owen. The material is often morose, but is also commonly satirical. Each poem which I’ve selected seem to share a common theme, which makes sense as the three authors knew one another and discussed technique.
I wondered if there were any others out there who enjoyed the poems of these or other WWI poets. If you haven’t read them already, I recommend the following poems by these men:
Wilfred Owen | Collection at:http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/jtap/warpoems.htm
Anthem for Doomed Youth
Exposure
Asleep
The End
But I Was Looking at the Permanent Stars
Futility
Siegfried Sassoon | Collection at: http://www.bartleby.com/people/Sassoon.html
To My Brother
How to Die
The Dragon and the Undying
The Effect
The Hero
The General
Robert Graves | Collection at: http://www.bartleby.com/people/Graves-R.html
Smoke Rings
The Assault Heroic
Recalling War
Two Fusiliers
Sergeant Major-Money
In the Wilderness
If you’re interested in the subject, or have knowledge already, I’d also appreciate your comments on my report. I’ve written comments on print-outs of each poem, and I’m in the process of transferring them all to a Word document (family computer, can’t always use the best program. Word does pretty well at what it does.)
Feel free to read my comments on the poems, and if you have your own interpretations I’d love to hear them. :yes:
Download: Truth and Satire: Poetry of World War One by Nicholas Platt
