As the First World War becomes more of an afterthought, its legacy may actually rest in the countless poems it inspired. During one of mankind's worst armed conflicts, Britain saw a poetic flowering with some of the most delicate verses ever written. And these poems are not frozen in time, either; they still have major social relevance today.
Those who are curious about these writers will find satisfaction in another of Dover Thrift Editions' low-cost books. 'World War One British Poets' is a 71-page survey of 16 writers both male and female, with apt editing by Candace Ward. While not an in-depth study of the poets, it gives a strong introduction to some of Britain's greatest literary minds.
'World War One British Poets' is nicely arranged and brings the poems into historical context. There is a short introduction to the war's beginnings and how these poems were a natural response to the chaos that ensued. Each poet is dealt with attentively and a short bio prefaces the selection of his or her work. To Candace Ward's credit, this anthology gives attention to names both major and minor. Besides Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon - considered the titans of First World War poetry - there are easily-forgotten personalities like Charles Hamilton Sorley, Robert Bridges, and Walter de la Mare.
The anthology includes two female poets: Alice Meynell, known as a social activist during the Victorian era, and May Wedderburn Cannan, who was educated at Oxford and served as a Red Cross volunteer in France. Disappointingly, the book omits such poets as Edmund Blunden and Richard Aldington, but there is only so much ground that can be trod in 70 pages. The book will certainly motivate readers into looking for more works by the poets who filled this era.
Located in Mineola, New York, Dover Publications has mastered the 'thrift' edition by printing books at the lowest costs possible while keeping prices super-cheap. 'British World War One Poets' currently retails at $2.50; there are anthologies better detailed than this one, but for the low price, you can't find better value.
