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Poems of the Great War
Poems of the Great War

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!
Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.
Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.
Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.
Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Poems of the Great War

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!
Line 2
Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.
Line 3
Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.
/moʊst ʌv ðə ˈpoʊəmz hæv əˈpɪrd ˈriːsəntli ɪn ðə pres/
Line 4
Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.
Line 5
Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.
/sɜːr ˈoʊən ˈsiːmənz ˈpoʊəm keɪm aʊt ərˈɪdʒənəli ɪn pʌntʃ ðə ˈaʊər ɪn ðə ˈdeɪli ˈteləɡræf ðə juːˈnaɪtɪd frʌnt ɪn ðə ˈdeɪli meɪl/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Bridges noun US /ˈbrɪdʒəz/

United States labor leader who organized the longshoremen (1901-1990)

From this reading “Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.”

contribution noun US /ˌkɑːntrəˈbjuːʃən/

the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result

From this reading “Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.”

Fund noun US /fʌnd/

a reserve of money set aside for some purpose

From this reading “Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.”

overflow noun US /ˈoʊvərfloʊ/

a large flow

From this reading “_DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!”

performing noun US /pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading “Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.”

represents verb US /ˌreprɪˈzents/

third-person singular of “represent” — take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

From this reading “Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.”

Seaman's noun US /ˈsiːmənz/

possessive form of “seaman” — a man who serves as a sailor

From this reading “Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.”

sonnet noun US /ˈsɑːnɪt/

a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

From this reading “Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

few days adjective + noun

In this reading “Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.”

immediately following adverb + adjective

In this reading “Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.”

came out verb + adjective counted as “come out”

appear or become visible; make a showing

In this reading “Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.”

All words in this reading · 102

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

Binyon's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

BridgesnounUS /ˈbrɪdʒəz/

United States labor leader who organized the longshoremen (1901-1990)

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/

several things grouped together or considered as a whole

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

contributionnounUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈbjuːʃən/

the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

CountrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

DailyadverbUS /ˈdeɪli/

every day; without missing a day

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

declarationnounUS /ˌdeklərˈeɪʃən/

a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written)

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

DUTYnounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

EnounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

FrontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

FundnounUS /fʌnd/

a reserve of money set aside for some purpose

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

GiveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

gladlyadverbUS /ˈɡlædli/

in a willing manner

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

Hewlett's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

HournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

MailnounUS /meɪl/

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

Maurice

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

MostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

NationaladjectiveUS /ˈnæʃənəl/

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

netnounUS /net/

a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

Newbolt's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/

something offered (as a proposal or bid)

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/

in an original manner

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

overflownounUS /ˈoʊvərfloʊ/

a large flow

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

oweverbUS /oʊ/

be obliged to pay or repay

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

OwennounUS /ˈoʊən/

Welsh industrialist and social reformer who founded cooperative communities (1771-1858)

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

performingnounUS /pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

poemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

PoemsnounUS /ˈpoʊəmz/

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

poetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/

plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

PressverbUS /pres/

exert pressure or force to or upon

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

PrincenounUS /prɪns/

a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

printedverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

profitsnounUS /ˈprɑːfɪts/

the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

PunchverbUS /pʌntʃ/

deliver a quick blow to

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

recentlyadverbUS /ˈriːsəntli/

in the recent past

From this reading Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press.

ReliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

representsverbUS /ˌreprɪˈzents/

third-person singular of “represent” — take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

richadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

RobertnounUS /ˈrɑːbərt/

United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

Seaman'snounUS /ˈsiːmənz/

possessive form of “seaman” — a man who serves as a sailor

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

sonnetnounUS /ˈsɑːnɪt/

a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

TelegraphnounUS /ˈteləɡræf/

apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

TimesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

tisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in _Punch_, "The Hour" in the _Daily Telegraph_, "The United Front" in the _Daily Mail_.

Vernede's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

Wales's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

WarnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

WatsonnounUS /ˈwɑːtsən/

United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

wealnoun

a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

wealth's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Even I that am poor am performing my part; I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart._ This collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

William

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernede's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the _Times_ during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _DUTY._ _Give gladly, you rich--'tis no more than you owe-- For the weal of your Country, your wealth's overflow!

Chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War by Various holds 188 sentences, grouped into 38 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War contain?

Chapter 1 holds 188 sentences of Poems of the Great War, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War by Various exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 188 sentences, grouped into 38 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Poems of the Great War?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Poems of the Great War

Common questions about reading Poems of the Great War by Various on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Poems of the Great War?

Yes. All 188 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33681 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Poems of the Great War is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33681, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Poems of the Great War take to read?

About 15 minutes of reading across 38 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Poems of the Great War section by section

How to work through Poems of the Great War section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Poems of the Great War to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Poems of the Great War

Words and structures a reader meets early in Poems of the Great War, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Gladly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems of the Great War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rich--'tis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems of the Great War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Owe--
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems of the Great War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Country
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poems of the Great War; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.