The Dulce et Decorum Est

" Gaelic et Decorum Est" is a poem by Wilfred Owen that describes the horrors faced by soldiers in World War I. It vividly portrays soldiers exhausted and suffering, with one soldier suffering a gas attack. The poem criticizes the idea that dying for one's country is noble and honorable, calling such notions "the old Lie." Owen’s powerful imagery highlights the brutal reality of war, contrasting it with romanticized notions of heroism. Essentially, the poem challenges patriotic illusions and exposes war’s grim and traumatic human cost.