He writes about places and landscapes but is really interested in people who live or have lived within them. The history and identity of Wales has formed a large part of his development as a poet and writer. It is people, their lives and their families that provide most of the focus for his work, though, especially the difficulties people face in simply trying to live. Futility – Wilfred Owen's poem is a natural partner for Sheers' work. Both are about the death of ordinary men in the First World War. They both contrast the images of men and earth and both are concerned with the memory of the dead. Owen's work, however, seems angry at the indifference of nature to the fate of innocent men. Sheers' poem sees a deeper connection between the two elements. The earth itself becomes a kind of witness to the meaningless tragedy.
Poppies – Jane Weir's poem takes a different, more personal and direct approach to death and mourning for those lost in war. Sheers tries to reach back into history so the people behind the tragedy come into focus ""This morning"". Weir's poem shows how the memory of a loved one remains painfully fresh and embodied in the symbol of the