Much of what he wrote was experienced first hand or felt very strongly. Wilfred Owen was born on March 18, 1893 to two parents, both of Welsh blood. (Hibberd 442) Owen, who was once very proud of his Celtic heritage, wrote “Celtic blood makes poets sing and prophets see” (Hibberd 443). Owen knew from a young age that he was artistic and desired to become a poet, but he lacked the money to support an artistic lifestyle (Hibberd 447). On October 21, 1915, Owen's lack of money led him to enlist in the army as a cadet in the "artist rifles" (Hibberd 447). As the war dragged on, Owen was shocked by the miserable conditions of the war and used them to inspire his poetry. Upon enlistment, Owen performed admirably, earning the respect of his fellow soldiers and eventually the title of second lieutenant (Bell 2158). However, Owen soon showed mental strain and signs of unfitness for work. (Bell 2158) He was sent to Craiglockhart Military Hospital, where he met Siegfried Sassoon. The two men quickly became friends, and Sassoon (who was actively against the war) convinced Owen to write about the hardships and horror of the battlefield. (Bell 2159) Owen followed his friend's advice and used his experiences to write and even invest in countless poems, including "Dulce et Decorum Est." There are several instances throughout the poem where Owen uses his own experience to place himself in the poem. “In the second line, the speaker (Wilfred Owen) defines his relationship to the situation: “We cursed through the mud” (LaBlanc 110). By identifying himself as one of the soldiers, he establishes the authority necessary to comment on the ordeals he describes (LaBlanc 110). Additionally, he reminds the reader that war is not a distant spectacle…it is as real and close as the speaker himself (LaBlanc 110). After spending years fighting and writing about his experiences, Wilfred Owen died in