IWVPA Policies and Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

War Poetry Does Not Glorify War – There Is Nothing Glorious In War Except The Warriors but, as individuals, they will deny that. Bravery is the rule rather than the exception. The perceived degree and by whom the act is witnessed decides the “official” status of bravery. One thing is certain, the mere act of ensuring that a mate’s “six” is covered is an act as brave and selfless as storming an enemy machine-gun post. The purpose for both is to stay alive and to keep mates alive; the purpose is not to “win” bravery awards. In war, nobody “wins” medals, they win life or death… and life is never given, it is always taken.

For many of those who find it difficult to come to terms with personal war experiences, whether it is first hand or as a loved one or friend, writing is almost like a magical pill. Within the structured framework of the written word, emotions can be haltered and led to a point where the writer is enabled to manifest and relate to the gamut of emotions engendered by the experiences and consequences of war.

The International War Veterans’ Poetry Archives (IWVPA) is a personal website that was created in January 2001 by Anthony W. Pahl, an Australian Vietnam Veteran who is in receipt of a Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (T&PI) War Disability Pension, as a coping strategy to assist him to deal with war related PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

From a handful of poems by a handful of poets, IWVPA now includes over 16,000 poems by some 800 poets – and that number is currently growing at the rate of about 5 poets and 50 – 100 poems per month. Writers from 26 nations are represented on the site; Afghanistan, America, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Great Britain, India, Israel, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Turkey, and Zimbabwe to name a few. Above all, the IWVPA website espouses support and honour for the warrior regardless of the political, economic, or social reasons for the war.

Veterans and friends of Veterans of all nations are invited to contribute poems and/or short stories for publication in the archives. Submissions may be fact or fiction (or a combination of both) but must relate to War, Veterans and/or the consequences of war (eg. on families, friends, country, health, welfare etc)

The importance of these archives resides in the fact that they may be freely accessed by the public, by Veterans and their families, history students, and other interested individuals or groups. Of course, international copyright laws restrict the reproduction of any work unless prior consent (in writing) is obtained from the author or his/her lawful representative.

These poems and stories that form the International War Veterans’ Poetry Archives are a timeless record of War and its consequences. It is vital to remember the manner and sacrifice needed to win and retain Freedom, and for the trustees of that memory and our heritage, the writers, to know that their words are not penned in vain.

Website address: https://iwvpa.net