Many British poets have written on the topic of war. This is due to the fact that war has been a constant feature of the nation for several centuries. However, each poet took a unique approach to this topic.
For example, Rudyard Kipling wrote poetry about the Boer War primarily. In his poems, war is seen as a sad, but glorious enterprise. Being a nationalist and an imperialist, Kipling mostly wrote in support of England and its stability and expansion.
Thomas Hardy is another well-known poet who wrote about war. In Hardy's case, the emphasis was on the impact that war had on the common people. He often wrote using the voice of common soldiers who were overwhelmed by his experiences.
Finally, one of the most celebrated British poets to write about war was David Jones in his epic poem In Parenthesis. In this poem, the author describes his experiences as a soldier, and questions what the meaning of all this suffering is, and whether the meaning of life is equal to the meaning of life.
