This Man's Army

"This Man's Army: A War in Fifty-Odd Sonnets" is a poignant and structurally innovative collection of poetry that captures the visceral experiences of American soldiers during World War I. Written by John Allan Wyeth, a veteran who served in the 33rd Infantry Division, the work utilizes the traditional sonnet form to document the mundane, harrowing, and deeply personal moments of military life. Through more than fifty interconnected poems, Wyeth moves beyond romanticized notions of battle, offering instead a gritty, realistic portrayal of the Great War.

The collection is noted for its geographical specificity and its use of soldier's slang, bridging the gap between high literary tradition and the raw vernacular of the trenches. Readers will find evocative depictions of the French landscape, the exhaustion of long marches, and the sudden, sharp reality of combat. By employing the sonnet-a form often associated with love and beauty-to describe the chaos of war, Wyeth creates a powerful tension that highlights the fragmentation of the modern experience. "This Man's Army" stands as a significant contribution to war literature, providing a rare and rhythmic look into the soul of the American Expeditionary Forces.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.