h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Lew -

Hope you're well

I'm intrigued by your Ernest Dowson poems. Do they come from a book or a particular site on the internet? I'd like to read more of him for myself. I presume he was early 20c? A period which is coming back into fashion, with lots of good stuff.

The latest one you've quoted is even more apt than perhaps (hope I'm not doing you an injustice) even you realise, as Arthur Symons died soon after Betjeman wrote his poem about him.

Thanks

Jab

G'day Jab.

I feel like a bit of a poseur really. I am not an intellectual and have limited knowledge of fine arts or literature. I also have a truly dismal memory. I can't even remember my own poems, but I do have a couple of good anthologies. The Ernest Dowson came from a book titled Minorities. The flyleaf, in part, states that it is a collection of verse by T.E.Lawrence. The components were selected by him, mostly during the crucial period between the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and his R.A.F. enlistment in 1922, and copied into a small, red, leather-bound book that he carried with him almost constantly.
Of his choices, Lawrence wrote, "One necessary qualification was that they should be in a minor key; another that they should sing a little bit." And by such little bits of singing- these "minorities"- a little more understanding may also be acquired of a major figure regarded by many as a mystic and visionary as well as a legendary warrior and an authentic Hero.

The full title of the book is as follows.

T.E.Lawrence

MINORITIES

Good Poems by Small Poets
and Small Poems by Good Poets

EDITED BY J.M.WILSON

PREFACE BY C.DAY LEWIS

Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Garden City, New York
1972


I hope you can obtain a copy of this book as it has comments by Lawrence on each of his selections. One of the notes says that Dowson only wrote ten poems before he died.

Good luck Jab.

Thanks Lew, I'll take your recommendation and try to get hold of a copy. Seems I was more or less right about Dowson being early 20thc. Thankyou for introducing me to his work.

That quote by TE Lawrence blows me away. Such excellent advice for writing and reading so much that's good in really effective poetry.

Poseur? Never.

(a) You don't pose
(b) You have what seems to me to be a truly deep sensibility for poetry. I look forward very much to your contributions to the poetry thread - they're always exceptional. Both those you write and those you select.

Jab

I've got hold of my own copy of 'Minorities' now. Thanks Lew. I see that Dowson was late 19thc. not early 20th, but I wasn't far away.

It's a brilliant little anthology. I won't be using it for the game though - I'll leave that free for you, as I've lots of other poetry here.

Thanks again.

Regards

Jab

I know it's daft to keep doing this, Lew - you should take my admiration for your work as read, but I specially like 'Although we walk together'. I find it very well-crafted and moving. If there's any more to it, (though it seems self-contained), could you post it here? Or alternatively another piece of your work? If you'd rather, I could let you have my e-mail address so you could post me a couple of pieces. I find your work so enjoyable

Jab

Hope I haven't frightened you off, Lew.

No worries,

Jab

I'll take that as a no, then.

Jab