tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post6165264224224687287..comments2024-01-26T13:24:37.659+00:00Comments on Senior Common Room: For An Ex Far East Prisoner of WarUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-44161928915116237152020-09-02T16:40:06.463+01:002020-09-02T16:40:06.463+01:00This poem was written by Causley in response to an...This poem was written by Causley in response to an invitation from the Association of Far East Prisoners of War (FEPOW) to appear in the programme for one of their annual reunion gatherings for veterans and survivors, which took place in Plymouth in the late 1950s.<br /> <br />Causley had not been a POW himself, but did serve in the Royal Navy 1940-46, as a coder. His last assignment was in the Far East Theatre in 1945 onboard the aircraft carrier HMS Glory -- which was used after the Japanese surrender to take POWs home to the UK. A number did not survive that voyage.<br /><br />The draft worksheets for the poem, correspondence about the commission and the occasion, and a copy of the finished document are all preserved in the Charles Causley Archive at the University of Exeter's Old Library -- where I'm currently researching a postgraduate thesis, on the impact of the many kinds of his life-experiences that were associated with war on the poetry of this very fine and well-loved writer (1917-2003).Mike Coopernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-65177493519306489632020-01-16T17:34:49.178+00:002020-01-16T17:34:49.178+00:00I owe a great deal to Charles Causely. In 'For...I owe a great deal to Charles Causely. In 'For An Ex Far East Prisoner of War' Charles Causely compares the suffering of POWs to that of Christ on the Cross. I wrote about it for an English exam at an FE college in Edinburgh in 1974 and was very inspired because I knew someone, a friend of my father's, who had witnessed a lot of suffering in the Far East during World War 2. I was sent for by an American teacher who had marked my essay. He said it was the greatest response to a poem he had ever read in many years of being an English teacher. I hadn't had much confidence before in my English ability, but the praise encouraged me to pursue a teaching career as a Secondary English teacher. After a number of years, I changed to Primary, and just heard that Causely was a Primary teacher of many years experience. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03233257450051010628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-26135178124955280802020-01-16T17:33:54.479+00:002020-01-16T17:33:54.479+00:00I owe a great deal to Charles Causely. In 'For...I owe a great deal to Charles Causely. In 'For An Ex Far East Prisoner of War' Charles Causely compares the suffering of POWs to that of Christ on the Cross. I wrote about it for an English exam at an FE college in Edinburgh in 1974 and was very inspired because I knew someone, a friend of my father's, who had witnessed a lot of suffering in the Far East during World War 2. I was sent for by an American teacher who had marked my essay. He said it was the greatest response to a poem he had ever read in many years of being an English teacher. I hadn't had much confidence before in my English ability, but the praise encouraged me to pursue a teaching career as a Secondary English teacher. After a number of years, I changed to Primary, and just heard that Causely was a Primary teacher of many years experience. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03233257450051010628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-68134702854092640142015-04-03T11:58:13.369+01:002015-04-03T11:58:13.369+01:00This is such an insperational poem and a one of a ...This is such an insperational poem and a one of a kind poet of our time. I would like to study this poem and this poet for my As exams yet I am struggling to find out what year this poem was written? If anybody could help me out it would be much appreciated. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-56192209862153963492011-04-15T08:41:52.777+01:002011-04-15T08:41:52.777+01:00Arlie, I hope you get your wish. We were both so ...Arlie, I hope you get your wish. We were both so very lucky that our wonderful Dads came through such a terrible experience. Thank you for sharing this with me.Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966461711132186974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-34545660617791596522011-04-15T00:04:43.815+01:002011-04-15T00:04:43.815+01:0015th April, 2011
Was introduced to this poem at a ...15th April, 2011<br />Was introduced to this poem at a workshop at the end of last year and loved it. My Dad was a POW in Borneo. We knew little of the horrors until we were middle-aged adults. He was a darling Dad and I hope to read this poem at one of the many Anzac Day ceremony on 25th April, 2011 in Brisbane. ArlieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-78311353345616288102011-01-31T16:24:45.153+00:002011-01-31T16:24:45.153+00:00Stefanie, I'm glad you liked it. You can find...Stefanie, I'm glad you liked it. You can find some of his other work on the web if you google him and it is worth the search, I promos you.Anniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04854496727106246991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-77875022024400075662011-01-31T16:16:24.823+00:002011-01-31T16:16:24.823+00:00I've not heard of Causly before. That's is...I've not heard of Causly before. That's is a very powerful poem. Thanks for shring it!Stefaniehttp://somanybooksblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-77102250654376470872011-01-30T09:40:33.842+00:002011-01-30T09:40:33.842+00:00Yes, WG. We tend to think about the poetry of the...Yes, WG. We tend to think about the poetry of the First World War and to forget about that associated with later conflicts, but this is just as powerful.Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966461711132186974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-77265816154442047522011-01-30T05:29:28.306+00:002011-01-30T05:29:28.306+00:00That's pretty powerful Annie ... I tend to be ...That's pretty powerful Annie ... I tend to be interested in responses to war. I'm not sure I get all the allusions in it ... but the overall meaning is strong isn't it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-29659955630785785142011-01-29T09:45:44.131+00:002011-01-29T09:45:44.131+00:00Thank you both, Anbolyn and VR. Poetry is such a ...Thank you both, Anbolyn and VR. Poetry is such a personal medium, I think, that you never know if what moves you will speak to others as well. I'm glad you found a resonance in this.Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966461711132186974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-83366119668622314952011-01-29T00:23:52.727+00:002011-01-29T00:23:52.727+00:00Gosh, I'd forgotten the poem Timothy Winters. ...Gosh, I'd forgotten the poem Timothy Winters. It's so sad and yet beautiful, too. Very much enjoyed this post.Vintage Readinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05971819409379613967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301923073845301598.post-28123441597132965252011-01-28T22:55:03.574+00:002011-01-28T22:55:03.574+00:00It really is a lovely poem. It seems simple, but i...It really is a lovely poem. It seems simple, but it conveys so much. I really liked the section in Hill's book about Charles Causley also, but I had never heard of him. Thanks for sharing one of his poems.Anbolyn (Cousins Read)http://niesaandanbolynread.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com