Francis Ledwidge

Francis Ledwidge

'Behind the closed eye'

Biography Francis Ledwidge was a famous war poet in the first world war. He was born on the 18th of August 1887 in Slane in County Meath. He was an Irish patriot and nationalist. He supported John Redmond. Redmond hoped that Irish men joining the British army would give Ireland a better chance of getting Home Rule, and because of this, Ledwidge joined the British army in 1914. He wrote poems about the war and believed that he was making a big difference to the everyday people back in Ireland. Unfortunately, these men were seen as traitors back home.Francis died in 1917 in Belgium.

Topics in his poemsWarLossInnocenceLove

InterestingFactsHe left school at age 13 and worked a number of odd jobs in the mining, farming, and construction.An admirer of his poetry, Lord Dunsany, introduced him to William Butler Yeats.The complete collection of his poems was published in 1919, after his death.

His House

HE SHALL not hear the bittern cry In the wild sky, where he is lain,Nor voices of the sweeter birds,Above the wailing of the rain. Nor shall he know when loud March blowsThro’ slanting snows her fanfare shrill,Blowing to flame the golden cupOf many an upset daffodil. But when the Dark Cow leaves the moor,And pastures poor with greedy weeds,Perhaps he’ll hear her low at morn,Lifting her horn in pleasant meads.

Lament for Thomas McDonagh