Battle

Battle
W.W. Gibson
The Cyder Press
ISBN: 1-86174-072-7
Literary Poetry, History
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

Battle by W.W. Gibson was first published in 1915. This is one of a number of works republished by The Cyder Press. The intension of these republications is to showcase long out of print and little known works of a group of individuals known as the Dymock Poets. These Georgian poets gathered at the town of Dymock, in Gloucestershire, to create a literary periodical called New Numbers. Unfortunately, only four issues of New Numbers were published before the World War I forced publication to end.
In addition to being a Dymock Poet, W.W. Gibson is well known in the poetry world. In fact, 16 of the 32 poems in Battle were originally published in The Nation. These particular poems are significant because they represent a new attitude towards war. Previous to 1915, such works tended to glorify war as the ultimate act of courage and patriotism. These works tend to take on a much more realistic and personal view of war. So many of these poems are absolutely heart wrenching. They realistically reenact and explain the realities, the worries, and the guilt of average soldier fighting in the war and of those left behind wondering if their loved one will come home alive. Moreover, these poems have a timeless quality about them as these realities are as real today during the current military actions as they were during World War I.