Wilfred Owen

Henry Newbolt isn't the only poet with whom I feel a connection.  Years ago I was curate at Shrewsbury Abbey and a governor of Wilfred Owen Primary School.

Wilfred Owen was a Shropshire man and as a young man he lived in Abbey parish until he joined the army.  He volunteered during The First World War.   He died on 4th November 1918 and the telegram informing his mother of his death arrived while Shrewsbury's bells were being rung in celebration of victory just one week later on 11th November.  He is commemorated on the Abbey War Memorial but there was no specific memorial for him there.

Whilst I was curate a memorial called "Symmetry" was unveiled in the Abbey grounds.  It represents the pontoon bridge which Owen was involved in building when he was killed.

I wasn't involved in the installation of the memorial but I saw it the night before it was unveiled.  It includes a single line from "Strange Meeting" which is about a soldier who dies and meets a "enemy" soldier who is also in the underworld.   I read

I am the enemy.  You killed my friend.

I was shocked for this seemed to be confrontational and counter to everything I knew about this poet.  I went home and checked "Strange Meeting" and now read the line as 

I am the enemy you killed, my friend

How much is changed by punctuation! The soldier realises that in death, all are comrades. 

That single line has become a challenge to me, that, when I am offended or hurt, have I simply misunderstood someone else?