War and the Pity of War

This moving and thought-provoking anthology brings together more than 70 poems inspired by the horror and heroism of war. From the eleventh century B.C. to the present day, including translations from Chinese, Latin, Greek, French, Russian, and Japanese, and ranging from poignant lamentation to sardonic humor, a wide selection of voices speak about every aspect of human conflict, exploring the universal themes that have moved poets throughout the ages. Illustrated with striking scratchboard drawings, the poems collected here reveal both the shifts in people's attitudes over time and the ways in which all wars are the same. Brief historical annotations are provided. Index of poets, index of titles and first lines.