Poems: The Sentry by Wilfred Owen
The Sentry is a poem by Wilfred Owen, a British soldier and poet who served in World War I. The poem is set in the trenches of the Western Front, and it tells the story of a sentry who is on duty in the middle of the night. The sentry is alone and isolated, and he is filled with fear and dread as he listens to the sounds of the war around him. He is haunted by the memories of the dead and the suffering of the living, and he is filled with a sense of despair and hopelessness. The poem ends with the sentry's silent prayer for peace and an end to the war.
By Wilfred Owen · First published 1918 · Genre: Poetry, War Literature, Historical Fiction · 386 words
First lines
We'd found an old Boche dug-out, and he knew, And gave us hell, for shell on frantic shell Hammered on top, but never quite burst through. Rain, guttering down in waterfalls of slime Kept slush waist high, that rising hour by hour, Choked up the steps too thick with clay to climb. What murk of air remained stank old, and sour With fumes of whizz-bangs, and the smell of men Who'd lived there years, and left their curse in the den, If not their corpses. There we herded from the blast Of whizz-bangs, but one found our door at last. Buffeting eyes and breath, snuffing the candles. And thud! flump! thud! down the steep steps came thumping And splashing in the flood, deluging muck -- The sentry's body; then his rifle, handles Of old Boche bombs, and mud in ruck on ruck. We dredged him up, for killed, until he whined "O sir, my eyes -- I'm blind -- I'm blind, I'm blind!" Coaxing, I held a flame against his lids And said if he could see the least blurred light He was not blind; in time he'd get all right. "I can't," he sobbed. Eyeballs, huge-bulged like squids Watch my dreams still; but I forgot him there In posting next for duty, and sending a scout To beg a stretcher somewhere, and floundering about To other posts under the shrieking air.
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Poems: The Sentry is listed on Textopian as a poem by Wilfred Owen, dated 1918 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Wilfred Owen
- Date: 1918 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, War Literature, Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction
- Length: 386 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
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- Poems Spring Offensive by Wilfred Owen
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- Poems Apologia Pro Poemate Meo by Wilfred Owen
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Genres
- Poetry — The title of the book is 'Poems: The Sentry' and is written by Wilfred Owen, a renowned poet.
- War Literature — The book is a collection of poems written by Wilfred Owen, a soldier in World War I, and the title of the book is 'The Sentry', which implies a war-related theme.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set during World War I and is based on the experiences of Wilfred Owen, a soldier in the war.
- Biographical Fiction — The book is based on the experiences of Wilfred Owen, a soldier in World War I, and is written in a biographical style.
Tags
1914-1918 · 20th century · English poetry · Poetry · War poetry · World War · air · beneath · blind · boche · body · breath