George Barker and the exaggerated death of David Gascoyne

New piece added to the ‘George Barker: fragments’ page, on a variant draft of Barker’s “Elegy” that indicates that at one point he had believed his friend and fellow poet David Gascoyne to be dead. Here or via the Barker tab at the top of this page, and then scroll down.

Back from oblivion: tracking the poetry of Gordon Wharton

New page added (tab up the top, or go here), devoted to an attempt at a proper appreciation of the poetry of Gordon Wharton, whose first three small collections were published from 1954 to 1957, but who has recently made a startling comeback, fifty four years on, with an excellent new collection, Towards Oblivion. A British poet who certainly deserves to be read and recognised.

George Barker: the genesis of Gog and Magog

New fragment added to the George Barker page, concerning the origins of his “Gog and Magog” characters in Dialogues etc. Tab at the top or click here.

George Barker on poetry and the incantatory

New fragment added to the George Barker page – tab above or go here – on poetry and the incantatory, excerpted from Barker’s 1985 pamphlet essay The Jubjub Bird or Some Remarks on the Prose Poem.

George Barker: fragments

New page added with a couple of bits and pieces on the poetry of George Barker. Other bits may be added to it as we go along. This incorporates the June 12 post “An unpublished fragment by George Barker”, which I’ve taken down.  The new page includes an image of Barker by Jessica Dismorr. Tab to the new page up above or link here.

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photos taken in Amsterdam 2007

the poetry of William Empson

New page added on William Empson, his poems, and his untidy dreadful basement. Find the tab at the top or go here.