World War I Poetry

by Various, Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke

The horrors of the First World War released a great outburst of emotional poetry from the soldiers who fought in it as well as many other giants of world literature. Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke and W B Yeats are just some of the poets whose work is featured in this anthology. The raw emotion unleashed in these poems still has the power to move readers today. As well as poems detailing the miseries of war there are poems on themes of bravery, friendship and loyalty, and this collection shows how even in the depths of despair the human spirit can still triumph.

Genres: Poetry, History

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2017

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the poems in this book felt incredibly true, sad and chilling. Some of my favourites were; release, war girls, the man he killed, suicide in the trenches, the broken soldier, the target, and perhaps.

Especially from the poems where the poets died in battle, it made you understand the extent of the deaths and how the soldiers who died fighting were real. In the poem ‘Trenches, St Eloi’, you could feel how desperate war made people and how it changed the lives of everyone.

“There is nothing to do but keep on”.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A set of poems everyone should read. These are heartfelt and emotional, and I couldn't help but picture the soldiers writing them as they waited for what the dawn would bring. These poems take you on a profound journey through the minds of those on the battlefield, but also of those left behind; the men and women who were left at home to wait for the days' casualty lists, fervently praying that it wasn't someone they loved.

[Elise R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any poetry anthology is going to contain poems that resonate with a particular reader and poems that don't. I've read several anthologies of WWI poetry and honestly, I think I could probably compile a more interesting anthology than any single collection I've yet come across. However, that probably says more about me and my personal preferences than it says about the actual collections I've read.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read after watching 1917. But I think it's a shame that so many celebrated poets were oxbridge educated in those days so some are a bit flowery. Some very good ones though!

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten how difficult it is to read good poetry: Emotions were overwhelming, and many evenings I found myself avoiding the book for its "load". The emotional intensity would have made my moody self nonfunctional for the night. I struggled thus, but could not give up on reading it either. So after battling through, metaphorically ( its subjects did the real battles on the fields in WWI), I finally finished this, and gave it what I believe is a fully deserved 4*s.

Def not an easy read though.

[Bloss ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure it’s possible to read this in one sitting even though it’s quite short. Some of the imagery and verse is haunting and deeply saddening.
I think people should read more books like this; it really does paint a picture that history and romanticized novels don’t seem to fully grasp.

[Kar20 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some poems more than others. I enjoyed the fact that there is a variety of different poems.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

DECENTLY MID WOULDNT RECOMMEND
BIG NATE > World war 1 poetry wouldn’t read in the bathroom neither

[Gisele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lest we forget...