Selected poems - Hardcover

Masefield, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0025810103 ISBN 13: 9780025810105

Publisher: Macmillan, 1978

Synopsis

Readers are again turning to the work of John Masefield (1878-1967)for its verbal skill, thematic range and a human generosity and warmth rare in the poetry of our time. Masefield looked to Browning rather than Tennyson as a model, hence the rich texture of his verse and the centrality of the speaking voice. He can be an exquisite lyricist and elegist; he is also a balladeer, a master of light verse and, as Gavin Ewart has said, 'a first-class narrative poet, the last full-blown one we have had.' Donald E. Stanford, the American poet, critic and editor, made this representative selection from Masefield's prolific output, and provides a biographical introduction.

About this title

About the Author

John Masefield was a well-known English poet and novelist. After boarding school, Masefield took to a life at sea where he picked up many stories, which influenced his decision to become a writer. Upon returning to England after finding work in New York City, Masefield began publishing his poetry in periodicals, and then eventually in collections. In 1915, Masefield joined the Allied forces in France and served in a British army hospital there, despite being old enough to be exempt from military service. After a brief service, Masefield returned to Britain and was sent overseas to the United States to research the American opinion on the war. This trip encouraged him to write his book Gallipoli, which dealt with the failed Allied attacks in the Dardanelles, as a means of negating German propaganda in the Americas. Masefield continued to publish throughout his life and was appointed as Poet Laureate in 1930. Masefield died in 1967 the age of 88.

About this edition

• Publisher: Macmillan
• Publication date: 1978
• ISBN 10: 0025810103
• ISBN 13: 9780025810105
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 328