Empire Poetry League
Encyclopedia
The Empire Poetry League was a British-based organisation founded in 1917, with effective existence of about 15 years. Initially having a patriotic impetus, and counting some literary figures (G. K. Chesterton
, Humbert Wolfe
, L. A. G. Strong and the novelists H. E. Bates
and A. G. Street
1892-1966) as members, it shortly became a vehicle for Sydney Fowler Wright (1874 - 1965), now remembered mainly for his genre fiction
.
The League, through Fowler's small press
, the Merton Press, was active in the 1920s in producing anthologies of regional verse of the United Kingdom
, usually tied to a single county
. It also, true to its name, published early collections from elsewhere in the British Empire
: a 1921 anthology Voices From Summerland compiled by J. E. Clare McFarlane in Jamaica
, and a series of Dominion and Colonial Verse collections. The League's magazine, Poetry and the Play (initially Poetry) ran from 1917 to 1932, when the League foundered. The Jamaica Poetry Society, formally a branch, persisted into the 1950s.
The work of the League in publishing new poets made few reputations, and Wright was outspoken against 'free verse
'. The most clear exception, to both of those, was the way in which Wright championed Olaf Stapledon
from 1923; though some have discounted this as more tactical than convinced on Wright's part.
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....
, Humbert Wolfe
Humbert Wolfe
Humbert Wolfe CB CBE , was an Italian-born English poet, man of letters and civil servant, from a Jewish family background, his father, Martin Wolff of German descent and his mother, Consuela, née Terraccini, Italian...
, L. A. G. Strong and the novelists H. E. Bates
H. E. Bates
Herbert Ernest Bates, CBE , better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer and author. His best-known works include Love for Lydia, The Darling Buds of May, and My Uncle Silas.-Early life:...
and A. G. Street
A. G. Street
Arthur George Street , who wrote under the name of A. G. Street, was an English farmer, writer and broadcaster. His books were published by the literary publishing house of Faber and Faber...
1892-1966) as members, it shortly became a vehicle for Sydney Fowler Wright (1874 - 1965), now remembered mainly for his genre fiction
Genre fiction
Genre fiction, also known as popular fiction, is a term for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre....
.
The League, through Fowler's small press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
, the Merton Press, was active in the 1920s in producing anthologies of regional verse of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, usually tied to a single county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
. It also, true to its name, published early collections from elsewhere in the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
: a 1921 anthology Voices From Summerland compiled by J. E. Clare McFarlane in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and a series of Dominion and Colonial Verse collections. The League's magazine, Poetry and the Play (initially Poetry) ran from 1917 to 1932, when the League foundered. The Jamaica Poetry Society, formally a branch, persisted into the 1950s.
The work of the League in publishing new poets made few reputations, and Wright was outspoken against 'free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
'. The most clear exception, to both of those, was the way in which Wright championed Olaf Stapledon
Olaf Stapledon
William Olaf Stapledon was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.-Life:...
from 1923; though some have discounted this as more tactical than convinced on Wright's part.
Merton Press
- Poets of Merseyside - an Anthology of Today (1923)
- Birmingham Poetry 1923-4 (1924)
- A Somerset Anthology of Modern Verse (1924)
- Some Yorkshire Poets. An Anthology of To-Day (1925)
- The County Series of Contemporary Poetry I Warwickshire (1925)
Fowler Wright Press
- Sussex Song, an Anthology of Contemporary Sussex Poetry (1927)
- London Pride (1927)
- Contemporary East-Anglian Poetry (1928)
- Hampshire Poetry (1928)
- Wessex Song. An Anthology of Contemporary Dorsetshire and Wiltshire Poetry (1928)
- Contemporary Lancashire Poetry (1928)
- Some Scottish verse: an anthology of contemporary Scottish poetry (1928)