The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry

Unrivaled in its range and intensity, the poetry of World War I continues to have a powerful effect on readers. This newly edited anthology reflects the diverse experiences of those who lived through the war, bringing together the words of poets, soldiers, and civilians affected by the conflict. Here are famous verses by Rupert Brooke, Siegfried Sassoon, and Wilfred Owen; poetry by women writing from the home front; and the anonymous lyrics of soldiers' songs. Arranged thematically, the selections take the reader through the war's stages, from conscription to its aftermath, and offer a blend of voices that is both unique and profoundly moving.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.The Penguin Book of First World War PoetryIntroduction
Acknowledgements
A Note on the Text

Prelude

I. Your Country Needs You

'Let the foul Scene proceed'
'Who's for the khaki suit'
In Training

2. Somewhere In France

In Trenches
Behind the Lines
Comrades of War

3. Action

Rendezvous with Death
Battle
Aftermath

4. Blighty

Going Back
The Other War
Lucky Blighters

5. Peace

Everyone Sang
The Dead and the Living
'Have you forgotten yet?'

Coda

Notes
A Glossary of the Western Front
Biographies
Further Reading
Poem Acknowledgements
Index of Titles and First Lines

Dr. George Walter is a lecturer in English at Sussex University. His research interests are 20th-century literature; madness and creativity; constructions of Englishness; the cultural impact of the First World War. He has edited editions of the poet Ivor Gurney's work for Everyman and Fyfield Books. He lives in Lewes, Sussex.