Writ in Barracks

One of Wallace’s first published works, ‘Writ in Barracks’ is a collection of poems written while the author was stationed in South Africa and acting as a reporter. While there is a sense of ‘king and country’ that pervades the work, what sets this book apart from others is the contrast of outward bravado against inner fear. Honest, searing, and occasionally funny, these poems offer an incisive insight into life behind the lines, during what came to be known as the Second Boer War. ‘Writ in...