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volume。 The 1920 edition was the first edition of Owen's poems； the 1921
reprint （of which this is a transcript） added one more and nothing else
happened until Edmund Blunden's 1931 edition。 Even with that edition；
there remained gaps； and several more editions added more and more
poems and fragments； in various forms； as it was difficult to tell which of
Owen's drafts were his final ones； until Jon Stallworthy's 〃Complete
Poems and Fragments〃 （1983） included all that could be found； and tried
to put them in chronological order； with the latest revisions； etc。
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Poems by Wilfred Owen
Therefore； it should not be surprising if some or most of these poems
differ from later editions。
After Owen's death； his writings gradually gained pre…eminence； so
that； although virtually unknown during the war； he came into high regard。
Benjamin Britten； the British composer who set nine of Owen's works as
the text of his 〃War Requiem〃 （shortly after the Second World War）； called
Owen 〃by far our greatest war poet； and one of the most original poets of
this century。〃 （Owen is especially noted for his use of pararhyme。） Five of
those nine texts are some form of poems included here； to wit： ‘Anthem
for Doomed Youth'； ‘Futility'； ‘Parable of the Old Men and the Young'；
‘The End'； and ‘Strange Meeting'。 The other four were ‘＇Bugles Sang＇'；
‘The Next War'； ‘Sonnet ＇Be slowly lifted up＇' and ‘At a Calvary Near the
Ancre' all of which the reader may wish to pursue； being some of
Owen's finest work。 Fortunately； the poem which I consider his best； and
which is one of his most quoted ‘Dulce et Decorum est'； is included in
this volume。
Specific Notes：
Blighty： England； or a wound that would take a soldier home （to
England）。
S。 I。 W。： Self Inflicted Wound。
Parable of the Old Men and the Young： A retold story from the Bible；
but with a different ending。 The phrase 〃Abram bound the youth with belts
and straps〃 refers to the youth who went to war； with all their equipment
belted and strapped on。 Other versions of this poem have an additional
line。
Dulce et Decorum est： The phrase 〃Dulce et decorum est pro patria
mori〃 is a Latin phrase from Horace； and translates literally something like
〃Sweet and proper it is for your country （fatherland） to die。〃 The poem
was originally intended to be addressed to an author who had written war
poems for children。 〃Dim through the misty panes 。 。 。〃 should be
understood by anyone who has worn a gas mask。
Alan R。 Light。 Monroe； North Carolina； July； 1997。
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