F. T. Prince is one of those unfortunate poets best known through the efforts, or lack of them, of the anthologists, who, by sedulously repeating each other over the years, have contrived to give the impression that he is to be judged by one poem. "Soldiers Bathing" is not even very typical of the bulk of his work; it is not by a long stretch his best poem; it is not even a very good poem. One can see why it became popular. There were very few war poems even in its class; its grief is deep and immediate but it succeeds at the same time in taking a longer view of suffering; it offers a profundity and even a message of hope. But though what it says ("That some great love is over all we do") may be true, "Soldiers Bathing" does not carry this statement across...