Poems about World War I, also known as the Great War, delve into the profound impact it had on society, culture, and individual lives.
These verses capture the horrors of trench warfare, the sense of disillusionment that engulfed a generation, and the profound grief of families who lost loved ones. They pay tribute to the bravery of soldiers and nurses and reflect on the futility of war and the longing for peace.
Poems about World War I evoke a somber reflection on the toll of conflict and serve as a reminder of the need for compassion and understanding in a rapidly changing world.
‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen is a poignant anti-war poem that exposes the harsh reality of World War I.
'Dulce et Decorum Est,' serving a robust anti-war stance, stands as one of the best World War One poems. After serving in the war, Owen wrote this poem in 1917 while recovering from 'shell shock.' He paints an actual scene of the battlefield to condemn the eulogization of the war and show its authentic side. The poem uses the pro-war slogan 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country)' to ironically declare it 'the lie.' Moreover, during high patriotism just before the First World War, the phrase was inscribed on the chapel of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in Britain.
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ by Wilfred Owen presents an alternate view of the lost lives during World War I against nationalist propaganda.
World War One provides the context for the poetry and its illustration of the vivid actuality of a war. During the First World War, there was an environment of high patriotism, which exalted the war and pushed many people to the battlefield. The poem critiques such vainglorious patriotism and calls the celebratory martyrdom a mockery of the nightmarish deaths soldiers suffered with lines like 'No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells.' Owen shares the grotesque reality of the Great War to portray the immense physical and psychological impact of the war and warn the readers to see through the veil of nationalism before supporting or promoting any war again.
‘The Parable of the Old Man and the Young’ by Wilfred Owen is an unforgettable poem. In it, Owen uses the story of Abraham and Isaac from the Bible to describe World War I.
World War I is the unspoken but obvious backdrop to this poem, representing the "half the seed of Europe" that was lost. The poem serves as a condemnation of the pride and stubbornness that led nations into a devastating conflict, forever altering the landscape of the 20th century.
‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae is a well-known, and much revered, poem concerning the many lived lost in the Flanders area of Belgium during World War I.
This poem is undoubtedly one of the most famous poems to be written in or about World War One. It helped establish McCrae's reputation as one of the many poets who emerged during or shortly after that conflict, alongside the likes of Wiflred Owen, Rupert Brooke, and Robert Graves. It is also one of the reasons the First World War occupies such a unique place in the public's perception of conflicts compared to other wars before or since.
‘The Soldier’ is a poem by famed war poet Rupert Brooke. It celebrates the sacrifices of soldiers during World War I.
This poem was written just before the outbreak of World War I and reflects the anxieties and concerns of the time period. The poem suggests that dying for one's country is a noble and honorable act and that the memory of fallen soldiers should be honored.
‘The Fish’ by Marianne Moore uses imagery and form to objectively describe nature and humanity’s ability to survive and mature in the face of death, destruction, and loss.
'The Fish' is a very universal poem, but if you look closely enough at the vocabulary, it's clear that World War I inspired it. The destruction in this poem applies to the death of civilians and soldiers and the destruction of cities and borders. However, the smaller signs of life in the ocean offer a promise for rebuilding and growth.
‘Spring Offensive’ by Wilfred Owen portrays the harrowing realities of World War I and the ensuing trauma endured by soldiers.
'Spring Offensive' is rooted in one of the World War I battles, likely the Kaiser's Battle, also known as the German Spring Offensive. This historical context serves as the primary background of the poem, as it depicts the experiences of soldiers during this tumultuous period. The poem captures the anticipation, fear, and brutality of battle as soldiers confront the horrors of war on the Western Front, presenting the devastating impact of the German Spring Offensive amidst the beauty of nature during the spring.
‘Apologia Pro Poemate Meo’ by Wilfred Owen defends a truthful portrayal of war in poetry, showing soldiers’ struggles and sacrifices.
The poem is rooted in the context of World War I, reflecting the grim realities and psychological toll of the conflict. Wilfred Owen, along with fellow soldiers and war poets like Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves, responded to the brutality of the war with unflinching honesty. Nevertheless, this poem responds to Graves' letter urging Owen to be positive. Thus, the poem captures contemporary attitudes towards the war while challenging romanticized notions of heroism and glory, reflecting on Owen's stance and resolution to present the truth - the harsh reality.
I, too, saw God through mud—
The mud that cracked on cheeks when wretches smiled.
War brought more glory to their eyes than blood,
And gave their laughs more glee than shakes a child.
‘Over The Brazier’ exposes the fragility inherent to the dreams of three soldiers who hope for peaceful lives after the war.
The central topic of this poem is undoubtedly the conflict from which it was inspired. Graves fought for several years in World War One, an experience that he details with painstaking lucidity in his early poems. Here, the poet expresses a deep lament over the cost of war, not just in terms of human lives lost but the dreams shattered, obliterated, and resigned by those who survived. It speaks to and foreshadows the lasting effects modern conflicts would have on the minds of the millions who fought in them.
‘Strange Meeting’ by Wilfred Owen explores soldiers’ disillusionment with war, their moral dilemma, and shared humanity.
World War I is a crucial topic in 'Strange Meeting,' as it is the provocation behind the poem's complex meditations, exploring any war's profound impact on soldiers and humanity. Owen wrote this poem while serving as a soldier in the Great War; thus, being a firsthand bearer of the horrors of the First World War, he channels the disillusionment, trauma, and moral conflict experienced by soldiers into his poetry, which now also represents the horrors of the other future wars testifying the gruesome reality of wars.
‘The Dead’ by Rupert Brooke describes the lives and experiences of mankind and what one will experience after death in the “Unbroken glory” of God.
The poem is deeply tied to World War I, embodying the early idealism and patriotic fervor of the war. It reflects a time when war was still seen as a noble endeavor, before the disillusionment that would follow later. If anyone is interested in learning more about the poets of this conflict, check out our mini-series of Beyond the Verse.
These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,
Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.
The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
‘Insensibility’ by Wilfred Owen explores the psychological trauma and dehumanization experienced by soldiers during World War I.
Many soldiers from WWI suffered the psychological toll of the war while being diagnosed with shell shock or PTSD during and after the war, bearing its lasting consequences. The poem portrays soldiers surviving on the battlefield by losing empathy or feelings for others and themselves. The poem stems from Owen's own trauma, as he also suffered from shell shock during WWI after witnessing the horrors of trench warfare and ruthless carnage on the battlefield.
‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen explores the suffering, alienation, and traumatic life of a disabled soldier who participated in the Great War.
Written by Owen, a WWI soldier and a firsthand witness of the horrors of the battleground, the poem presents the immense permanent damage caused by wars with the experiential backdrop of WWI. The disabled soldier who lost his limbs on the battleground presents the loss, despair, scars, disillusionment, suffering, and dehumanizing effects of war, offering an anti-war stance and a picture of the collective trauma suffered by soldiers and authorities' response to it during WWI.
Once considered as a preface to the major poem ‘The Waste Land’ by T.S. Eliot, ‘Gerontion’ effectively deals with the huge psychological, spiritual, and physical destruction caused by the great war.
Written when World War 1 was nearing its end and eventually the Treaty of Versailles was signed, 'Gerontion' alludes the most to World War 1 out of all Eliot's poems. Through imagery and symbolism, the poem presents destructed landscape, psychological damage, and a critique of political leadership. Notably, 'Gerontion' symbolically refers to the youth lost in the war and the grim future of the living youth amidst the destruction of World War 1.
‘The Waste Land,’ epitomizing literary modernism, is one of the most important poems of the 20th century, portraying its despondent mood.
The poem indirectly alludes to World War 1 while reflecting on the lost past before the war. The devastation of the war ruined the post-war world, which is the wasteland wherein the living dead modern people pull through in cultural and spiritual decadence.
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