D. H. Lawrence: Selected Poems

Lawrence wrote nearly 1,000 poems during a short lifetime in which he was also astonishingly prolific in other spheres--fiction, travel writing, essays, criticism, letters and plays. Lawrence was not simply a novelist who dabbled in other forms. His characteristic vision informed everything he wrote, especially his poetry. At three important phases of his life it became the primary channel of his experience and creative energy--the first year of his relationship with Frieda, the two years in Sicily, and the last year of his life. Bringing together the best of his poetry, this volume demonstrates that 'Lawrence is a great poet in every sense including the technical ... The form is the perfect incarnation of the content, the perfect vehicle for the liveliness of thought and feeling, the freshness, and depth of perception, the wit and wisdom he has to offer.' Superb. Without hesitation or reservation, five stars.

The editor of this edition Keith Sagar has selected for it what he says are Lawrence's truly good poems which he reckons as one- hundred fifty of the roughly one- thousand Lawrence wrote. Sagar maintains that Lawrence's special quality as a poet is his emotional realism. And it seems to me undoubtedly true that Lawrence is powerful in his expression of his feeling. But then the question which might be asked is why the lines of Lawrence do not somehow sing in our memory , remain with us as for instance the lines of Keats, Hopkins, Yeats, Wallace Stevens do? Why is it despite Sagar's objection that the consensus is probably right in seeing Lawrence as primarily a novelist, and only secondarily as a poet? Here is a fine small poem of Lawrence from this book. DESIRE IS DEAD Desire may be dead and still a man can be a meeting place for sun and rain wonder outwaiting pain as in a wintry tree. And one more small example. WHATEVER MAN MAKES Whatever man makes and makes it live lives because of the life put into it A yard of India muslim is alive with Hindu life Anda Navajo woman, weaving her rug in the pattern of her dream must run the pattern out in a little break at the end so that her soul can come out, back to her. But in the odd pattern, like snake- marks ont he sand it leaves its trail. Am I wrong to think to think these poems are too prosaic to be the greatest poetry ?

Sagar states in the introduction of this selection of D.H. Lawrence's poetry, "We have come to think of his poetry as something of a by-product of, or relaxation from, other more strenuous and important work". There is no doubt it was to an extent, however, what is clear is that he took it just as seriously as his other artistic pursuits. Casual readers of Lawrence may be surprised to learn that he wrote around 1000 poems in his 45-years. His poetry runs in near-parallel themes to his novels - for example, "Sons and Lovers" character Miriam was inspired by the muse of "Love Poems", Lawrence's' then sweetheart Jessie Chambers. "Sons and Lovers" focused upon the cruelty of love - platonic, romantic, and parental. Lawrence's poems from his "Love Poems" collection, "Cruelty and Love" and "Snap-Dragon" capture the same theme, albeit far more personally. In this collection we see Lawrence's poetic skills evolve - from young rebel to world-weary mystic. It's his ability to capture emotion so clearly and concisely which is Lawrence's greatest skill. What also shines through in his poetry is a sense of playfulness - take "The Mosquito" as a case example:"It is your trump,It is your hateful little trump,You pointed fiend,Which shakes my sudden blood to hatred of you:It is your small, high, hateful bugle in my ear."The poem is altogether hilarious, depicting Lawrence as a hunter of the tiny yet vicious bug, who evades his every attempt to squash it until he finally, after much effort, succeeds. Much more than this, however, it demonstrates Lawrence's uncanny ability to capture the essence of nature and its creatures, best evidenced in "Snake". Lawrence's poems are all full of energy and spirit, technically adept, and yet not limited by form. Admittedly some of his work is too personal, leaving the reader alienated, but his successful poetry (mostly presented in this collection) transcends time and culture.