Preface

This book is not about heroes.

English Poetry is not yet fit to speak of them.

  Nor is it about deeds, or lands, nor anything about glory, honour, might,

majesty, dominion, or power, except war.

  Above all I am not concerned with Poetry.

  My subject is War, and the pity of War.

  The Poetry is in the pity.

  Yet these elegies are to this generation in no sense consolatory. They may

be to the next.  All a poet can do today is warn. That is why true Poets

must be truthful

         ~Wilfred Owen, a quotation from a preface to a planned book of his poetry

Poem