November 29, 2025, would mark Logan Eberhardt English’s 97th
birthday if he had not tragically passed away in a car accident in 1983.
English was primarily known for his work in the folk music scene, where he
created one of the first albums as a tribute to Woody Guthrie (Logan English
Sings the Woody Guthrie Songbag; read more about it by clicking on this link: here) and helped start Bob Dylan’s
career. Yet his legacy extends beyond music. He was also a writer, poet, and
playwright who frequently critiqued war and espoused optimism for the future.
A particularly striking sonnet from English is “Beware You
Sons of Sorrow” which addresses the waste of wars like World War II despite the
apparent “majesty” they offer enlistees. He warns that “it is the dead, who
died quickly, that war serves best” because they never face the disillusionment
of returning home and realizing that the sacrifices they made did not
accomplish the goals their leaders promised them. Meanwhile, survivors return a
“broken shell of an empty dream” because they will inevitably face the
realization that the promises made to them were either never kept or faded away
under “man’s neglect.”
Essentially, English used this piece to dismantle the romanticization of military glory and expose the toll it has on survivors. Regrettably, these ideas hold up today, where militaries still use abstractions as motivation. These abstractions mean that survivors of military conflict can become disillusioned and bitter when they realize the extent to which they were led astray.
Despite English’s grim reflections on the wars of his time,
his view on the future was filled with hope. In an essay, “The Promise of a
Progressive Civilization” (87m33: English family papers, 1884-1986, University
of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center), he acknowledges the issues he
has witnessed during his time, including imperialism, war, and moral stagnation
amid rapid technological advancement. However, English highlights that these
failures leave enough good for humanity to progress farther in the future than
we have in the past. In other words, he argues that our human failures are a
stepping stone on the route to reflection and reform.
Photo caption: A page from English’s original essay “The Promise
of a Progressive Civilization” (87m33: English family papers, 1884-1986,
University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center).
Ultimately, English’s work depicts a man deeply concerned
about the present but who kept enough faith in humanity to predict a bright
future. And, his ideas should resonate with humanity today as we face new
challenges. So, let us honor Logan English’s legacy by remembering that there
is always the possibility of a better tomorrow.
--Blog post by Matthew Mitchem
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