They (poem)
Encyclopedia
They is a 1917 poem by the English
soldier and poet Siegfried Sassoon
published in The Old Huntsman and Other Poems
. It disparages the attitude of the established church
to the Great War.
The first verse of the poem tells of a bishop
's speech about the noble sacrifice of the soldiers, and in particular mentions his view that "they lead the last attack / On Anti-Christ". The second verse contrasts with the soldiers' reply, telling of the woes of four common soldiers; the bishop replies that "The ways of God
are strange!"
The poem is still under copyright in some countries. It is currently in the public domain
in the United States because it was published before 1923, but will only become public domain in most countries after 2038 (author's death + 70).
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
soldier and poet Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
published in The Old Huntsman and Other Poems
The Old Huntsman
The Old Huntsman is a 1917 collection of poems by Siegfried Sassoon and the name of the first poem in the collection....
. It disparages the attitude of the established church
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
to the Great War.
The first verse of the poem tells of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
's speech about the noble sacrifice of the soldiers, and in particular mentions his view that "they lead the last attack / On Anti-Christ". The second verse contrasts with the soldiers' reply, telling of the woes of four common soldiers; the bishop replies that "The ways of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
are strange!"
The poem is still under copyright in some countries. It is currently in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
in the United States because it was published before 1923, but will only become public domain in most countries after 2038 (author's death + 70).