Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833–1870)

Ashtaroth is justly forgotten. I adore Adam Lindsay Gordon, even though he was notoriously uneven in his poetry (often writing as the mood took him, using his saddle as a desk sitting under a gum tree). But his other two works of poetry have more highs than lows. This confusing melange of Faust and Childe Harold doesn't cut it. It didn't sell well in 1867, it hasn't sold well since.

Utterly fantastic.
A few poems about hunting and horsemanship were largely lost on me (though still interesting, for sure), but some of the rest have to be among the best verse I've ever read.
I'd already encountered a couple of them over the years - such as Unshriven which has long been one of my favourite poems - but the "dramatic lyric" Ashtaroth at the end of the book was certainly another highlight.

The only explanation I can think of for this collection's poor score here is that the show more others who have left ratings were forced to read it for school or some such. That seems to be a good way to turn students off an author for life, haha. show less

My favourite of Gordon's three volumes.

Printed by the "Border Watch," Mount Gambier and published by Rigby, Adelaide.