Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

                                                                                     May, 1951

Sir, or Madam,

   When this number is published I notice it will have been the fourteenth I have had the honour to edit. To save valuable space, and everyone fatigue, I have refrained from any editorial comment in the last ten, believing that their texts would speak for them lyrically enough. But, in view of a continuing desire expressed in letters I have received, perhaps I may once more momentarily re-occupy this position to reiterate our policy as I still see it after these last two-and-a-half years.

   In January, 1949, in my first “Open Letter”, I wrote of this journal that “it has always stood patient and maternal defending the good child Poetry against all turbulent tantrums of the rampageous young or of the querulous old,” that “new poets are as welcome as old poets as long as they write as ably, and even if they write better,” and that “the best verse on hand at the time of going to press will always compose the next issue, while I edit.”

   In other words I then attempted to declare that, appreciating our past, and examining our present, I would aim to build for an all-embracing future. How far I have succeeded is not for me to assess. But I should like to place on record that since I announced such a catholic policy, no serious argument or suggestion has been advanced that this belief in an open mind and free speech, has been detrimental to this journal—once Harold Monro’s.

   It is invidious at any time to mention names in comparison, so I will
thank en bloc all those poets, known and less-known, at home and over oceans, who have flocked to enter our Forum. That there was not space to hold them all is obvious. Economics operate generally against goodwill. But that “discoveries” have been made and “new” poets encouraged, acknowledgements to us in many recently published volumes already testify; and, indeed, the next issue continues our Policy of Encouragement with a further section of selections from submissions of quality lately received from new writers of potentiality.

   The Poetry Review retains only one touchstone—excellence. It respects no Person and all persons; and is as easy to enter, therefore, by the righteous as was a certain gate of Damascus for any patient striving camel.

                                                      I remain, etc.,

                                                                JOHN GAWSWORTH