Join us at The London Archives on March 5, 2025, for a talk by Tim Kendall about his new anthology, The Poetry of the Second World War.
The Second World War is now seen as a major turning point in British poetry. The impact of the war, along with restrictions on publishing due to paper shortages, initially hid the full extent of these changes. This new anthology showcases not only the moving poetry that emerged from the war but also the significant shifts in style and form that reshaped British poetry. It features well-known poets such as Dylan Thomas, T. S. Eliot, and W. H. Auden, as well as works by both soldiers and civilians, offering a wide range of voices united by their shared experience of the war.
In his introduction, Tim Kendall explores the reception of war poets and their connection to their First World War predecessors. He also addresses why their work has not reached as large an audience. Each poem in the anthology is preceded by a biographical note to provide historical context. Poems are also annotated with details about when they were written, how they were published, and explanations of specific words and references.
Event Details:
- Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
- Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
- Location: The London Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, EC1R 0HB
