Severn & Somme

"Severn & Somme" by Ivor Gurney is a collection of poetry written during the early 20th century, specifically amidst the turmoil of World War I. As a soldier in the Gloucestershire Regiment, Gurney channels his experiences of war and longing for home, reflecting on themes of beauty, loss, and the impact of conflict on the human spirit. This poignant collection serves as both a tribute to his comrades and an exploration of the emotional landscape of a soldier's life during wartime. The poems in "Severn & Somme" are deeply personal, weaving together Gurney's memories of Gloucestershire's landscapes and his haunting experiences in the trenches. He grapples with the stark contrasts between the pastoral beauty of Severn and the grim realities of the battlefield at the Somme. Through various verses dedicated to friendship, nature, and reflections on death, Gurney encapsulates the pain and sorrow of war while celebrating the enduring connection to his homeland. The collection captures the essence of a soldier’s dual reality—fighting in the trenches while yearning for the beauty of home, evoking both the horrors of war and the solace found in nature and memory. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Ivor Bertie Gurney was an English poet and composer, particularly of songs. He was born and raised in Gloucester. He suffered from bipolar disorder through much of his life and spent his last 15 years in psychiatric hospitals. Critical evaluation of Gurney has been complicated by this, and also by the need to assess both his poetry and his music. Gurney himself thought of music as his true vocation: "The brighter visions brought music; the fainter verse".