The futility and madness of the First World War was the spur for some of the greatest, most moving poetry ever written. The young men who brought the voice of reason to the slaughter of the Great War were themselves part of a long tradition of war poetry stretching back to the very dawn of time. Introduced and narrated by Brian Blessed, "The War Poets" traces the development of the art of war poetry from Anglo Saxon times to the nightmare of the trenches. Using extensive film footage and dozens of contemporary images, this DVD Region 2 brings new vitality to the chequered tales of heroism, cowardice, luck, valour and misery which together form the experiences of war over the centuries. The programme also features critique and analysis from Jon Stallworthy, reader of English Literature at Oxford University, and the foremost authority on war poetry in Britain today.