The War Poets Association is a UK based charitable organisation established in 2004. Launched at a reception in the British Embassy in Paris, in July 2004, it aims to promote interest in war poetry of the twentieth century, primarily in English. It organises regular events, has a website and publishes an annual journal.

The term war poet

War poet

A War poet is a poet writing in time of and on the subject of war. The term, which is applied especially to those in military service during World War I, was documented as early as 1848 in reference to German revolutionary poet, Georg Herwegh.-Crimean War:...

most commonly refers to the many British soldiers who wrote in passionate terms during the First World War about their experiences in front line trenches. Some of these poems, for example by Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War...

, Isaac Rosenberg

Isaac Rosenberg

Isaac Rosenberg was an English poet of the First World War who was considered to be one of the greatest of all English war poets...

 and 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...

, have achieved the status of what Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion

Andrew Motion

Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...

, has called an almost 'sacred national text' in Britain. The 'war poetry' of the Second World War is different in character. While a relatively small number of poets serving in the armed forces, such as Keith Douglas

Keith Douglas

Keith Castellain Douglas , was an English poet noted for his war poetry during World War II and his wry memoir of the Western Desert Campaign, Alamein to Zem Zem. He was killed during the invasion of Normandy.-Poetry:...

 and Alun Lewis

Alun Lewis

Alun Lewis , was a poet of the Anglo-Welsh school, and is regarded by many as Britain's finest Second World War poet.- Education :...

, wrote consciously in the tradition of Owen, Rosenberg and others, most poets writing between 1939-1945 were touched by the conflict, both men and women, and whether they were civilians or in military service.

The War Poets Association is interested in all poetry of conflict written during the twentieth century.