Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Poetry Is in the Pity - Wilfred Owen (Mar 18, 1893-Nov 4, 1918)

His topic was war, specifically the Great War, and the poem that touched me was about that war. World War I was waged long before many of the technological advances that help level the field for people with disabilities today. Facing disability was a different story then.

Wilfred Owen was born on this date in 1893. In his poem, "Disabled," he tells the story of a young man who lied about his age so he could fight in the war. Wearing the uniform sounded glamorous He was just a kid, trying to impress a girl and his mates, not understanding what it really meant to go to war. Ah, the innocence of proud youth, torn from him in one short moment:
"There was an artist silly for his face,
For it was younger than his youth, last year.
Now, he is old;"


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