Six O’clock in Princes Street

Acentury ago this week, one of the most important meetings in English literature took place in Edinburgh. Suffering from shell shock after experiencing combat in France, Wilfred Owen was sent to Edinburgh to recover at Craiglockhart War Hospital in June, 1917. In August, he met fellow patient and poet Siegfried Sassoon. Sassoon encouraged Owen to write about the trenches, and, under his mentorship, Owen grew from a novice to the great poet of war we remember today. Over the next week, Edinburgh will hold a number of events to mark the centenary, including the premiere of a new poem about Owen by Jackie Kay at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 16 August, and a screening of Regeneration at the Filmhouse the following day. ■

In twos and threes, they have not far to roam, Crowds that thread eastward, gay of eyes; Those seek no further than their quiet home, Wives, walking westward, slow and wise.

Neither should I go fooling over clouds, Following gleams unsafe, untrue, And tiring after beauty through star-crowds, Dared I go side by side with you;

Or be you in the gutter where you stand, Pale rain-flawed phantom of the place, With news of all the nations in your hand, And all their sorrows in your face.

You can find copies of Selected Poems by Wilfred Owen at the Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Edinburgh EH8 8DT. For poetry enquiries, e-mail reception@spl.org.uk or visit www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk