A SADDENED WORLD

Good Morning Readers:

I haven’t written many poems this year. My mind has mostly turned towards the war in Ukraine. I think we have all been ‘taken over’, you might say, by the daily horrors we see of the war waged against Ukraine by Russia.

I have written a few poems about war, about how it is unacceptable,  in my two published poetry books, and how there has to be better ways to sort out differences.  War is so destructive, and in the end, war has to stop.

The populations of these countries are suffering.  They don’t want war.

Many young soldiers who went to war, either in the WWI or WWII, have written poems about it. They were poems that were written quickly, suddenly, and just before a soldier died himself. That is why these poems, about war, are so poignant and sad.

These soldiers wrote, with a sense of urgency, so the words came tumbling out, with the feelings of the moment; possibly from the trenches, and before a campaign. That is why their poems stop and make us think;  they make us cry, and they make us see the horrors of war.

Some soldiers in the field,  wrote at the very moment they could see their world would not be for very much longer.  Their feelings about their last moments on this earth heightened.   Other war poets were not soldiers, but felt the war at close quarters.

Here are two excerpts of well known war poems.

Laurence Binyon, ‘For the Fallen’,  He wrote this poem in Cornwell, Sept. 1914, just one month after the first world war started.  This particular verse is well known.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them…

John McCrae, ‘In Flanders Fields‘. (1872-1918)

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Do try to read more of these poems.

I hope you enjoy my two poetry books, see Austin Macauley’s Author page, look for my name for details. When possible, please  write a short review, this is always helpful to others, who may wish to buy my books.

Best regards,

Anne

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