Anthem for Doomed Youth

Any Good Poem

Richard Berlin, MD, shares the poem "Anthem for Doomed Youth," by Wilfred Owen, a British poet born in 1893, who gained posthumous recognition for his poetry about the harsh realities of World War I. His experiences as a soldier deeply influenced his work, reflecting the brutal truths of war, the suffering of soldiers, and the psychological toll it takes on individuals. Tragically, Owen was killed in action on November 4, 1918, just days before the Armistice was signed. His work continues to resonate and shape perceptions of the human cost of conflict… like Gaza and Ukraine.

Dr Berlin has been writing a poem about his experience of being a doctor every month for the past 26 years in Psychiatric Times in a column called “Poetry of the Times.” He is instructor in psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. His latest book is Tender Fences.