The Collected Poems of A. E. Housman

This was a fairly decent assembly of collected poems by the renowned poet A.E Housman. The rhyme schemes were simple and the themes not overtly complex. It was good reading, and a fast one too, but I felt there was a detachment between when it was written and now. Overall, worth reading- but briskly.

3 stars.

1351 The Collected Poems of A. E. Housman (read 1 Aug 1975) There are not many books of poetry in my list of books read, but as this shows there are some. I felt some of Housman's stuff really impressive, though to me his early work seemed not inferior to his later work. His philosophy is of course repugnant (XLIV and XLV of A Shropshire Lad are commendations of suicide). "The true Lover" is as stark a tale as I have ever read. I am very impressed (I said to my self 30 years ago). 'The True Lover' : : A poem by A.E. Housman :: PoetryConnection.net

The lad came to the door at night,
When lovers crown their vows,
And whistled soft and out of sight
In shadow of the boughs.

"I shall not vex you with my face
Henceforth, my love, for aye;
So take show more me in your arms a space
Before the east is grey.

""When I from hence away am past
I shall not find a bride,
And you shall be the first and last
I ever lay beside.

"She heard and went and knew not why;
Her heart to his she laid;
Light was the air beneath the sky
But dark under the shade.

"Oh do you breathe, lad, that your breast
Seems not to rise and fall,
And here upon my bosom prest
There beats no heart at all?

""Oh loud, my girl, it once would knock,
You should have felt it then;
But since for you I stopped the clock
It never goes again.

""Oh lad, what is it, lad, that drips
Wet from your neck on mine?
What is it falling on my lips,
My lad, that tastes of brine?

""Oh like enough 'tis blood, my dear,
For when the knife has slit
The throat across from ear to ear
'Twill bleed because of it.

"Under the stars the air was light
But dark below the boughs,
The still air of the speechless night,
When lovers crown their vows." show less

These poems are some of my favorites. I like how these verses express life in a way that speaks to my own experiences. I read his poems again and again because I find them enjoyable.

The definitive corpus of the poems of a master of meditative despair.

This has a short introduction to Housman's life and work.Also notes on the text,an index of first lines and an index of titled poems.
Of course it gives ''A Shropshire Lad,but also' Last Poems','More Poems','Additional Poems' and 'Translations'. A good cheap introduction to this great poet.

(p. 155:)

They say my verse is sad: no wonder;
Its narrow measure spans
Tears of eternity and sorrow.
Not mine, but man's.

This is for all ill-treated fellows
Unborn and unbegot,
For them to read when they're in trouble
And I am not.

Housman was a great craftsman.