Reflections on war through war poetry Feb 2025

[QuentinDeakin]

To follow January's talk on World War One the society's meeting on the 17th February was devoted to poetry inspired by warfare throughout the ages. Eight members volunteered to give a presentation of their own choice. It was a full programme which proved a fascinating evening.

Choices ranged from a translation of twelfth-century bard Gwalchmai ap Meilyr's Gorhoffet (The Boast), to poems about Hiroshima from a British and Japanese perspective and members' own reflective poems. The poems embodied a celebration of patriotism to disillusion and pacifism via Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade to Wilfred Owen. Each poem was put into its historical context. Many of the choices were influenced by their own family's experience of the world wars.

Beyond well-known war poets such as Rupert Brooke, Alun Lewis, R N Currey and Vera Brittain writing about their own experiences, there were others, such as Edith Sitwell and G K Chesterton, who were better known for other subjects. One poem by Madeline Bedford was in the guise of a World War One Cockney 'munitionette' which struck a lighter tone but nevertheless made a salient point about the danger of her work. The presentations were followed by a thoughtful discussion and the contributors were thanked.

The next meeting will be on Monday 17th March starting at 7PM when Dr William Aucht will deliver a talk on the townscape and architecture of Aberdyfi and Tywyn. All welcome.