Arms and the Boy is a poem by Wilfred Owen, a British soldier and poet who wrote during World War I. The poem is a reflection on the horrors of war and the futility of violence. It follows a young soldier as he reflects on the weapons he carries and the destruction they can cause. He questions why he must fight and why he must carry such destructive weapons. The poem ends with the soldier realizing that he must fight for his country, no matter the cost. The poem is a powerful reminder of the tragedy of war and the human cost of conflict.
By Wilfred Owen · First published 1918 · Genre: Poetry, War Literature, Modernist Literature