Comments on: Wilfred Owen At Shadwell Stair

By: Chris Meddows-Taylor

Chris Meddows-Taylor — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 11:23:16 +0000

Roland Turner’s comments about Shadwell Stair (November 2017) are I think the most insightful I have read. The finally explain what for 100 years have been shrouded in a degree of mystery. As he so rightly states “The efforts over the years to minimize, or even ignore, Owen’s homosexuality, does a disservice to the poet. We understand his poetry best when we understand the man.” We can finally understand Shadwell Stair more clearly.

By: Roland Wilbraham Turner

Roland Wilbraham Turner — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 00:16:50 +0000

It seems that people were keen to gloss over what I think is the truth behind Owen’s poem, Shadwell Stair. There’s ample evidence that Shadwell Stair, near the Rotherhithe Tunnel, was in the early 1900s, a well-known gay cruising area (or in the vernacular of the day, a “haunting” area). Hence, I think, the references to ghosts and shadows. But Owen states that, though a walking shadow on the stairs, he is yet flesh “both firm and cool.” I believe that the key to Owen’s real intent in the poem is in the final line: “I with another ghost am lain.” I infer that Owen has lingered on the stairs until, as dawn breaks, he connects with another man and has sex. Some speculate that this other “ghost” is a rent boy, but there’s no evidence in the poem to suggest that.

The efforts over the years to minimize, or even ignore, Owen’s homosexuality, does a disservice to the poet. We understand his poetry best when we understand the man.

By: Inga-Stina Westman

Inga-Stina Westman — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 04:40:36 +0000

“I am the enemy you killed, my friend.” One of my fav lines ever in poetry. And put into music by Britten in his “War Requiem.” (written before his death. As though he predicted his own death in the battlefield.) (yes his ghost didn´t write it.) :o)

By: Dr Barry Matthews

Dr Barry Matthews — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 13:19:42 +0000

The other ghost was a ‘renter’; a homosexual rent-boy.
Owen’s nickname in the army (as he reported in his ‘Collected Letters’, Letter 661, p. 579.) was ‘the Ghost’.

‘Haunting’ was the word used in Owen’s time to describe what today is termed ‘cruising’ in gay parlance.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 10:38:00 +0000

Caroline the other ghost must be another dead soldier as he seems to be talking about being at the front as well as at Shadwell, in the poem.

By: Roger Carr

Roger Carr — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 14:35:22 +0000

The Shadwell Basin Bridge – another lovely piece of industrial architecture. If only modern public art could be as impressive as this.

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 14:34:19 +0000

Thank you gentle author for yet more evocative photos.

By: Jill

Jill — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 11:08:43 +0000

Thank you GA and reader for opening up another door. The Wilfred Owen Association website has an interesting analysis of the poem, including some insight to Owen’s preference for the East End over the West End.

By: Zena Sullivan

Zena Sullivan — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 09:30:31 +0000

Some great pictures – love the 1st & last two!

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 07:41:53 +0000

Wonderful poem, and lovely to see more photos of my childhood playgrounds! Valerie