The Works of Wilfred Owen (Wordsworth Poetry Library)

I thought this was a book of Wilfred Owem poems, but turned out to be an anthology of many authors. Haven't read half way yet but haven't found Wilfred.

Wilfred Owen, one of the soldier poets of World War One, wrote these poems during that conflict. He developed a close friendship with fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon while recovering from wounds. Sassoon was more blunt, perhaps, but Owen was just as precise in exploring the horror and ultimate uselessness of war. Like Sassoon and dozens of other soldier poets, Owen answered the call to duty even when he hated the war. He was killed by a sniper just one week before the end of hostilities. The poems in this slender volume are profound and beautiful, particularly the haunting "The Parable of the Old Man and the Young." A fantastic read.

Good book

'Tis a pitifully small collection of poems gathered here, considering Owen is often called the best of the World War I poets.His "Dulce et Decorum Est" is perhaps one of the most anthologized English poems from that era. Easily accessible, I can remember reading and pondering it when I was still in high school. That poem and several others in this slim volume still apply. Wars never really resolve anything, and yet they go on and on, as if humankind never learns anything at all. This collection is gem-like, marred only by a few incompleted fragments, and I wondered why they were even included. Probably because there were so few finished poems, a true tragedy of that war. Just twenty-five years old and only beginning to find his voice as poet, Wilfred Owen died a week before the armistice. And yet he lives on in these poems, THE WORKS OF WILFRED OWEN. An important little book for any collector of serious literature.- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER

Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke, andIsaac Rosenberg are four English poets who enlistedin World War I, fought in the battles, wrote abouttheir experiences, and chronicled the truth of whatthey saw of war and death in their poems. Of the four,Owen, Brooke, and Rosenberg were killed in action,while Sassoon survived until 1967, when he was 80. Of these four poets of "the Great War," perhapsOwen is the most lyrical, tragic, and filled withpathos. In a letter to his mother, Owen wroteafter having seen a group of Scottish troops (whowould soon be dead) and the strange look on someof their faces: "It was not despair, or terror,it was more terrible than terror, for it was ablindfold look, and without expression, like adead rabbit's. It will never be painted, and noactor will ever seize it. And to describe it, Ithink I must go back and be with them." The editor of this volume, Douglas Kerr, says ofOwen: "This fatal vocation to witness -- for Owendid return to the war, and was killed at the ageof twenty-five, a week before the fighting ended --is the basis of his reputation as the best-knownof the poets of the Great War, and one of theoutstanding English writers of modern times. All ofOwen's important work in poetry was written injust over a year, the last year of his life, andalmost all of it is about the war. 'My subject isWar, and the pity of War', he declared. 'The Poetryis in the pity'. But it was not to be simply apoetry of mourning, and still less of consolation.'All a poet can do today is warn', he went on.'That is why the true Poets must be truthful'." Owen deals with the issues bravely and deadon...no flinching or side-stepping. He grappleswith the issues of the War, his questioning ofhis faith, and his affectionate awareness. AsKerr also says, "And although Owen's declaredsubject was 'War and the pity of War,' we canfind glimpses of his whole life here -- hisreading, his homosexuality, his friendships, hislove of music, his philosophical doubts, and hisphysical enjoyments. These poems contain allhis personal history. *** Owen was not a pacifist,but described himself as 'a conscientious objectorwith a very seared conscience'. His disgust andcompassion, his anger and his courage, have doneas much as any other individual to shape the wayswe understand and feel about modern war." Here is the beginning of one of Owen's poemsof affection titled "Storm": His face was charged with beauty as a cloud With glimmering lightning. When it shadowed me I shook, and was uneasy as a tree That draws the brilliant danger, tremulous, bowed.-------------------------

I remember reading about Owen's poetry when looking up information on Siegfried Sasoon. While some of the poems in this collection will be too melancholic for some, there are some great poems in this volume that really make one think about passivity around issues of war and death. I especially liked "To Eros," "The Parable of the Old Man and the Young," and the few that are mentioned in Owen Knowles' excellent introduction. There are approxmately 70 pages of really good poetry here. While it really brings World War I to mind, it is very relevant to our current age's fascination with violence and war.

If you want a good introduction to Wilfred Owen's poems, get the Collected Works ISBN: 0811201325 instead.

Though I have a vast collection of books, I can count on the fingers of one hand the books that I have on poetry.However, if I come across any poet that reflects the harsh realities of life, then there's a good chance thatI'll go in search of their work.Wilfred Owen is one such poet. Despite the tumult that surrounded him in the first world war, he had the state ofmind to record the horrors of battle through his poetry, so that those of us who truly love literature can try to make senseof the appalling actions of armed conflict and bloodshed (the sign of a great writer).I don't have a favourite poem, but there were one or two that stood out, the first one was called, 'Last Laugh', andthe much heralded 'dulce et decorum'.

I own a book of Owen's poems and bought this for a friend who became interested in the war poets of the time. Like me he had never read any poet in this group, only hearing about them. He like me, felt that he wanted to read at least one poet writing about this period as we have heard so much in recent years about this dreadful war and the terrible waste of life.

Sadly I found these poems of Wilfred Owen too deep to appreciate.

This collection is a must for anyone who despises war.

Wonderful thoughts of a brave man during an horrendous time for mankind

Having read it before giving it as a gift to a young boy studying Owen at school, feltI should have come to this long before now.Had visited the Wilfred Owen Museum in Birkenhead (Owen was born and went to school there) then went tosee the play about his life. This was disappointing but still an opportunity for someone tospeak out his poetry

Came on time a lovely read

As described

This book is a lovely read. I’m very pleased with it

enjoyed this book by a great man

Thank you for shipping the work in good order.I'm greatly pleased with the book, because the poetry of Owen is so outstanding, that it demands for a second and third reading, without ever tiring. Quite the opposite, it's the kind of poetry that reaveals itself bit by bit, to the readers delight.

The wonderful, moving poetry of Wilfred Owen is wonderful to read. one criticism is that the last line of the first verse of 'Dulce Et Decorurum Est is different in this version than that of the Open University, which I presume is more likely to be correct.

Inspirational. Evocative. Sad.

Inspirational

Nice war Poems just as good as the other war poets, touching and brings the Great War into focus....