War's Embers, and Other Verses

Book excerpt: "War's Embers, and Other Verses" is the second volume of Gurney's war poetry, following 'Severn and Somme,'. This collection of poems was released in May 1919 and contains the following poems: 'In a Ward,' 'Camps,' 'The Volunteer,' 'Ypres-Minsterworth,' 'Hospital Pictures,' and 'The Battalion Is Now On Rest' The two collections' titles are significant and prophetic. First, as evidenced by many of his war poems, his love of the Gloucestershire countryside and desire to return there after witnessing the devastation on the Western Front is unmistakable. Second, the war would have an ongoing impact on Gurney until his death, and he would refer to his experiences there in later poems.'