We Few, We Happy Few: Sketches of the Struggle (A Collection of Military-Themed Poems)

This contemporary collection of poems by Mariecor Agravante showcases the spectrum of emotions associated with war, one of the most extreme of human experiences. There are poignant accounts that articulate war's classic heroic code, and there are moments that question the value of that selfsame code. Likewise are there heart-wrenching pieces herein that serve as vehicular responses to the savage inhumanity of the battlefield, the devastation wreaked on lives, the tragedies of combatant injury, and the devastating effects of loss. Bewilderment and confusion in the face of war's horrors are common themes, as is the redemptive motif of recovery. Ultimately, the lines of poetry penned herein are a call for compassion -- not only for those who have suffered because of and sacrificed in the name of war, but also for those who uphold war poetry's oxymoronic anti-war banner. Even in this present age, when asymmetric warfare threatens the foundations of Western tradition and civilization, war poetry -- such as this collection by Mariecor Agravante -- has a relevant place in modern literature.