War Poems: From World War 1 to Contemporary Poems on War

Considered as the first modern war, World War 1 was one of mankind's greatest tragedies. Men went out to fight, thinking it was for an honourable cause but only to be greeted with gruesome deaths and mass murder. In this situation, poets played their part as soldier, onlookers and victims. What separates them is that the poets were those most talented to represent in words and depict the situation and experiences of war.

Some of the modern wars that happened were:
World War 1
World War 2

and various Civil wars

Some of the modern war poets:

Rupert Brooke
Edward Thomas
Wilfred Owen
Siegfried Sassoon
Herbert Read
T.S. Elliot

War poems generally revolves around themes of:

Death. Honour, Pride/Patriotism, Wastage (of lives and funds), Religion, Humanity, Sufferings

Some wrote of the glory to die for one's country (pro-war), others talk about their abandoned families and death (anti-war).

Women war poets wrote on the direct and active service and experience of war. Women war poets wrote on the themes of the losses of brothers, husbands and sons; making the weapons; and, nursing the wounded. Some of the names: Rose Macauley, Edith Nesbit and Edith Sitwell.

Links:

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/warpoets_knew.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_poet
http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/forgotten-poems-recovered-by-american-civil-war-research

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/education/tutorials/intro/women