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(poetrymagazines note: These listings are taken from the May-June 1951 issue of Poetry Review.)

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY : ANNUAL GENERAL BUSINESS MEETING

The Annual General Business Meeting of the Poetry Society (Incorporated) will be held at the offices of the Society, Portman Square, London, W.I. on Wednesday, May 30th, 1951 at 3.00 p.m., to receive the annual financial statement, and elect the general members of the General Council. Names of delegates representing Centres should be sent to the General Secretary not later than April 12th together with names of the Centre representatives on the General Council.

Admission will be made upon production of membership cards.

Any member who wishes to bring any business before the Annual Meeting must give twenty-eight days’ written notice thereof to the General Secretary. Nominations for membership to the General Council must be made by two members of the General Council or three unattached members twenty-eight days prior to the Meeting.

Any member wishing to inspect the audited Statement of Accounts before the General Business Meeting may do so at this office between the hours of io a.m and 5 p.m. (Saturdays excepted), or may have a copy sent on application enclosing a stamped addressed envelope after April 30th. —By Order of the Council.

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY: FRIDAY READINGS

The new year opened with a reading of Twentieth Century Lyrics by our own Gold Medallists, (eight in all), led and arranged by Miss Mollie Hudson on the 19th of January, and each of these readers gave better performance and deeper feeling and variety than the bulk of our usual star-thought elocutionary visitors. It was a performance of extraordinary width and variety. Choice may seem invidious but Doreen Wiswall, (one of two all the way from Liverpool) deserved especial praise, and almost as perfect were Valerie Houchin and our well-known Renee Cohen; while Miss Hudson herself, at the President’s instance, gave admirable reading from the Laureate, as otherwise unrepresented. Our own poets made a brave show—highest I unquestioningly rate Redwood Anderson and Weston Ramsey, while Kean Seymour and Roberta Shuttleworth provoked thought. It is to be hoped that this exposition of our own best products will be continued and increased.

On January 25th we had excellent reading by Mr. John Holgate of interestingly chosen material, from the almost hackneyed yet still valuable Village Blacksmith and Burial of Sir John Moore, Spanish Cloister and Herbert, via the suitable transition of Dyment’s This is not my country to Beach-Thomas, Bridges, delicious James Reeves for children, and subtle selections from Betjeman.

Friday the 2nd February as Candlemas, the Purification of the Virgin, our valued Mr. Wilton Cole pointed out, was most suitable for consideration of that most quintessential of forms the Sonnet. A lovely reading, ably aided by Miss Kathleen Penny from Wyatt, Sidney and Daniel via six perfect Shakespeare to Drummond of Hawthornden, Milton and Keats. to Wordsworth (including his Stilton Cheese parody), to the Brownings —Elizabeth’s not-so-gifted “from the Portuguese” and Robert’s sole two ; Hopkins, Douglas, Masefield, Blunt, Lady Margaret Sackville, and Baring on Sarah Bernhardt as Phedre, a lovely selection. Miss Penny then gave her own choice, Helen Gray Cone’s The Common Street and Jan Struther’s Blunder: and we ended with Whitby’s Kingcraft from a recent Poetry Review and Shakespeare’s “When in disgust . . “ The vote of thanks was moved by Mr. Armstrong.

The 9th February, brought us a period piece indeed, Tennyson at his most sentimental and Miss Dorothy Dayus with skilled modulations reading him as he wanted to be read (as we have heard his own voice read himself, from records brought by Sir Charles Tennyson, who chose this programme, but was not present). The Lady Clare, rescued from bathos nowadays only by the superb diction, Sailor Boy, Sisters, and the Lady of Shallott. Less known were, with their somewhat dated sentiment, The Victim and Rizpah and some superb In Memoriam (the Wild Bells indeed calling for even more voice). Thanks were moved by Mr. Foley (“To make a nation forget, teach it to write !") who presented a grand-daughter of the poet and said that no Festival would be complete without Tennyson; whose Ulysses was aptly quoted by Winston Churchill. Mr. Kidd then cited his favourite Tennyson lines, and there was some discussion.

February 16th, brought us Mr. Foley’s Oscar Wilde; his admirable team excelling even their poetry-reading by the subdued drama of their reading the Cloak-Room scene and the Stolen Letter, etc., from the Importance and the Ideal, and these were followed by three extracts from De Profundis. Tribute is due to the Misses Barnard and Thompson and Mr. Holmes.

From the back of the side room it was difficult to connect or place the extracts faded up in Mr. Clifford Turner’s lovely fluctuant voice when he gave us his personal selection on February 23rd. This is a matter less of intensity than intention—we have heard thence a small woman’s fading whisper ... Shakespeare’s “I had a daughter ..." adorably audible, recalling Ainley in that room of old.

With East Coker we knew more where we were, the intermittent fading was less irritant. Could not a cheap “mike” and battery serve the side room? It came over paragraph by paragraph clear, yet not a whole.

The third part; “lighter to end with”, gave us Favourite Cat . . . Drowned, Sassoon on Richard III, and Edith Sitwell’s lovely Solo for Ear Trumpet.

The President thanked from the Chair, “unable adequately to comment on the glorious flow of sound”; and quoting Dante to this effect. In the discussion he added that Mr. Turner spoke the East Coker as if he were composing it; i.e., with real understanding, if admittedly paragraph-wise; and added later in comment on mention of “couldn’t-care-less” voices reading for the B.B.C., that this was in accordance with instructions—not to attach “meaning”, for fear of causing offence.

The 2nd of March brought us Mr. Foley’s team again, admirable at work on a programme of Welsh poetry. Vernon Watkins and Dylan Thomas came over as great poetry, Alun Lewis more dubiously. Mr. Llewellyn followed with a reading from his own work, from his Otter and Satire in Punch.

AVE.

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY: READINGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The second of a monthly series of poetry readings intended to interest the younger generation in the appreciation and enjoyment of poetry was held at the headquarters of The Poetry Society, 33 Portman Square, W.I., on Saturday, January 27th, 1951.

AVE writes: “Mr. Foley brought his same team, Pam giving Walrus and Carpenter Quangle-Wangle Hat and Francis Thompson’s Evening; Daphne Tarantella, Owl and The Pussycat, Sitwell’s Gabman, by Father William up to Flecker’s Prologue; while David was delightful with Lord Lundy and Jumblies via Story of Jim and Humpty-Dumpty to Pied Piper and Tennyson’s Ulysses. It was warmly liked, the more so as being rather more mature and nearer the original intention.”

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY: LECTURERS

It has been suggested at the General Executive Council to invite any persons interested and willing to become lecturers to communicate direct with the Secretary, The Poetry Society, 33 Portman Square, W.I.

 

CENTRES
THE BATH POETRY CLUB

Enquiries to:—James Angell Esq., Bedwyn, Westbury Avenue, Combe Down, Bath, Somerset.

This centre inaugurated on December 1st, 1950, has so far held two meetings; at the first twenty-six people attended, at the second twenty-eight. Amongst the members there are nine active poets and eight accomplished elocutionists. The first meeting was devoted to readings from members’ original work, the secood to readings ranging from Shakespeare to Eliot. The local press has proved most sympathetic and the B.B.C’s. West of England programme, when including some of Mr. Angell’s poetry on January 25th, handsomely announced his address, mentioning he had just started a Poetry Centre tn Bath. He writes that this has given some “very welcome publicity.”

THE BOSTON POETRY CENTRE

Meetings held monthly. Full details from: Miss Blanche J. Bigelow, 163 Eliot Street, Milton 87, Mass.

THE BRIGHTON AND HOVE POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to the General Secretary and Treasurer: Mrs. T. Weston Ramsey, 89 Poplar Avenue, Hove.

Fixtures every third Saturday in the month at the Glenside Hotel, 65 Grand Parade, Brighton. Readings at 4-30 until 6 p.m., (and it is hoped to start a Children’s Section from 3p.m. until 4p.m., previous to the Adult Meeting). Tudor Cafe attached. Refreshments if desired.

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CENTRE

May 12th at 2-45 p.m. 
Towns, cities and villages.
Mrs. Theodora Roscoc, Horn Hill Court, Chalfont St. Peter. Chalfont St. Giles 5. Bus 305a to its terminus.

June 2nd at 10-0 a.m. 
Day Outing to Stratford-on-Avon for matinee at Shakespeare Memorial Theatre of Henry IV, Part I. Coach starts opposite Public Library.

June 9th at 2-45 p.m. 
Rooms, houses and furniture.
Mrs. E. Heygate-Browne, Hillside, Flackwell Heath. Bus 25 to Green Dragon.

THE CHELSEA POETRY CIRCLE
(Affiliated to the Poetry Society. Formed 1946)

President: Dame Sybil Thorndike 
Vice-President: Miss Margaret Rawlings

Informal readings are held each month in members’ homes, and occasional public readings at the National Trust Museum, 3 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. S.W.3. Full patriculars from the Hon. Secretary, John E. Carroll, 5 Redesdale Street, S.W.3.

THE EALING POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to:—The Secretary, 3 Grafton Road, Ealing, W.13. Meetings at:—Savernake School, Ashton Road, Haven Green, May 15th, 7-30 p.m.

THE FLORIDA POETRY CENTRES
(Formed 1946)

President General: 
Marie Tello Phillips 6427 Darlington Rd., Pittsburgh 17, Pa., U.S.A. 
Vice-President General:
Lillie Reed Zortman 230 Forest Ave., Ben Avon, Pgh. 2, Pa., U.S.A.

State Presidents:
Connecticut: Lille Offen Reed. 
Maine: Effie Lawrence Marshall.
Florida: Pearl Safford. 
Minnesota: Margarette Dickson.
Indiana: Grace Porterfield Polk. 
Pennsylvania: Lillie Reed Zortman.
Kentucky: Ethel Koger. 
Tennessee: Polly MeKibben.

THE GUILDFORD POETRY CENTRE

Details of meetings may be obtained from The Centre Secretary, Mrs. F. E. Coker, 20 Litchfield Way, Guildford, Surrey.

THE HAMPSTEAD POETRY CENTRE (1909)

Meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays in each month at 8-9.30p.m., at 9 Wentworth Mansions, Keats Grove, N.W.3., and the following Programme has been arranged:

May 3 Anonymous Poems.
May 17 No Meeting.
June 7 Women Poets (including Charlotte and Emily Bronte).
June 21 Seaside and Countryside.

THE KENSINGTON CENTRE

President: Miss Eileen Thorndike 
Hon. Treasurer: Mrs. Patricia Gregory, 22 Chepstow Villas, W.11.

Over thirty attended the second meeting on Tuesday evening (fixed as suiting most) the 5th December. Mr. Foley gave an admirable exposition of W. B. Yeats. Miss Elizabeth Belloc and Mr. Bernard Gutteridge read from their own poems, and Miss Sybil Thorodike Ewbank, the actress daughter of the Centre’s patron, gave Joan of Arc’s two main speeches as a tribute to Bernard Shaw. After a break for business and tea, members read their own choice, as usual for the second half, separating towards midnight.

For our President’s reading from his own works on January t6th, the Hon. Mrs. Franklin, for many years a valued supporter of the Society, had made available her lovely salon in Porchester Terrace, though unfortunately ill abed herself. Nearly thirty were present and Miss Eileen Thorndike presided and was unanimously elected Hon. President. Mr. Weston Ramsey gave a dozen of his poems (breaking in the middle to bid the Founder, whom he described as the finest natural reader he knew, to read his dialogues The Consolation of Lucifer. He then read his admirable version of Dante’s Paradiso, Canto XXXI. Miss Thorndike, moving the vote of thanks, welcomed the new Centre and praised the President for his beautifully simple reading, with no hint of a “poetry voice”, and said that the important thing was that people should read and hear poetry read with sincerity and at natural pace—no matter how well or roughly.

At the fourth meeting, held in the Treasurer’s home, the programme was given by Mr. Arthur Kidd, M.R.S.L., on Patrick Chalmers and his Poetry, and by Mr. John Graddon reading from his own verse.

THE LEWES POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to :—Mrs. Doris R. Richards, East Way, Ditchling, Sussex.

THE NORTHERN IRELAND POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to:—H. Haddock, 18 Ashley Gardens, Belfast.

THE NOTTINGHAM POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to:—Lake Aske, Esq., 281 Wilford Lane, Nottingham.

THE NOVA SCOTIA CENTRE

During the year 1950 nine regular monthly meetings and five Executive meetings have been held.

Our January meeting took place at the home of our President, Mrs. Gilbert Hart, where Mr. and Mrs. Hart welcomed us.

Early in the year the Centre experienced a great loss in the death of the late Honorary President, Sir Joseph Chisholm. During the February meeting two minutes silence was observed in his honour.

In March the eleventh anniversary was celebrated with a dinner at the Dresden Arms.

In April the Centre crossed the Harbour and was warmly welcomed at the Dartmouth Library by Mrs. G. F. Baker; in September it visited the home of Premier and Mrs. Angus L. MacDonald, Winwick, Marlborough Woods, when Dr. Burns Martin gave an outstanding talk on Wordsworth.

Plans for the 1951 Chap Book are well on the way and the latter months of 1950 have seen the Centre launched on another such project, The Nova Scotia Book of Verse, Volume 2.

THE REIGATE POETRY CENTRE

Details of Meetings may be obtained from the Centre Secretary, Mrs. M. A. Hicks, The Alton, Alma Road, Reigate.

THE ST. PETERSBURG (U.S.A.) CENTRE
(Formed 1946)

Members and potential members are invited to communicate with the President, Helen T. Douglas Robinson, 815 Jackson Street North, St. Petersburg, 6, Florida. The Centre seeks to promote production of the best in poetry.

THE SOUTHAMPTON POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to:—Miss Joy Brider, 9 Archers Road, Southampton.

THE STROUD CENTRE

For particulars of Membership, please apply to the Hon. Secretary of the Stroud Poetry Centre at Steanbridge, Slad, Nr. Stroud.

THE WALTON AND WEYBRIDGE POETRY CENTRE

Enquiries should be sent to:—Mrs. Elsie M. Gittens, 28 Oatlands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey.

A most successful meeting was held on March 8th, ‘when John Gawsworth, F.R.S.L., editor of The Poetry Review,read from his Collected Poems. On April 5th, Vere Arnot (Mrs. William Law) read from her published poems to a most appreciative audience.

______________ 

Will anyone able and willing to start a Centre in any part of the country please communicate with the Secretary, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I.

 ______________ 

 

POETS’ GROUP OF THE POETRY SOCIETY

This Group, dedicated to furthering the work of active Poets within the Society, gathers “to hear each other’s work and discuss the spirit and substance of poetry.” All interested in attending future meetings are invited to communicate with me at The Well House, Ewell, Surrey. 

LEIGH HENRY

 

POETS’ GROUP OF THE POETRY SOCIETY

FIRST ANNUAL SURVEY

Meetings of the Poets’ Group have taken place regularly, each second Wednesday of the month, since December, 1949. Spring and summer, these were at The Well House, Ewell. During winter, the Group met at 8E Portman Mansions, Baker Street, W.t, by courtesy of Mrs. Ayliffe. Attendances varied, averaging 8-12. Group membership now has a total of 22, all active poets who have published in book-form or in established periodicals.

Desiring to avoid passivity, in mere readings or “taking-in-each-other’s-washing”, group meetings have concentrated on discussions of poetic production and poetry in relation to current life and other arts; the spirit and substance of poetry; the possibilities of extending the appeal of poetry through allied media and by association with other arts.

The Hon. Philip Inman contributed much penetrative thought to the discussion of poetry and the cinema; and the writer was happy to supplement this by records and extracts from correspondence, covering his thirty years’ friendship with Jean Cocteau. Robert Armstrong availed himself of the Group guest facilities, by twice escorting the charming lady responsible for B.B.C. Finnish broadcasts. From the Kalevala to contemporary verse, valuable views emerged; Yorke Crompton, also of the B.B.C., proving sensitively imaginative. Discussions of State subsidy for poetry and poets ranged comprehensively. W. J. Gardiner urged, visionedly and profoundly, the inviolability of individual freedom of spirit. John Graddon trenchantly surveyed the invitiating effects of official and pseudo-educational controls and supervisions over literature. George Whitehorn, with admirable forthrightness, energetically attacked the debasement of poetry, and indeed, verse, by political diversions and subversions, deflecting it from its wider, humanly expressive functions. Particularly amusingly, he indicated how self-postulated “advance guards” nowadays tend to “announce noon at 3 in the afternoon”. In supporting the view that such coteries too often have “a great future behind them”, the writer also deplored the confusionism whereby a self-termed Left pretends that this term makes it ipso facto something ahead, whereas in the march of contemporary thought, it is more truly only very much “left” (behind).

On problems of poetry-printing and publication, Arthur Ley advanced experienced points, ably backed by his charming wife as guest. Economics in their effect on poetry, were illuminatingly presented by H. Townsend Mills, with the especial authority of his lectures and publications on economics. P. Elwin Wright, as guest, had arresting things to say of the impoverishment of poetry by propaganda such as “Basic English” and degeneration of philological knowledge in the use of words. Extracts from his forthcoming, graphic Story of Language gave this unusual point.

Poetry-drama inevitably had extensive consideration, particularly in view of the present theatre prominence of T. S. Eliot and Christopher Fry. The writer, advancing his belief in “poetry for the eye and ear”, brought forward a detailed project for a poets’ laboratory theatre sub-group. He offered experimental working facilities for this in his centuries-old Malt House at Ewell and, for presentation of masque, pastorals and garden plays, the gardens of his Well House. He maintained that, while contemporary poetry revealed many dramatic talents, some of these missed full effect through lack of practical theatre knowledge. Theatre being a distinct, independent medium, theatrecraft was important to the poetry-dramatist. He offered the suggested sub-group the collected data of his work in theatrecraft with Gordon Craig, Jacques Copeau, Stanislavski, Diaghileff and the “Teatro delle Piccole Masehere” (Italian marionettes, whose London seasons, 1927-28-29, he directed), for the sub-group researches, together with premises for poets to study stage dimensional and proscenium problems; lighting; scenic design and costumery, with the aid of model construction.

Arising out of discussions, original Group members’ work has been read, for criticism, suggestion and discussion by the Group. This has included lyric poems by Mrs. Ayliffe; parts of a poetry-drama for music by Geraldine Kalka-Cash; poems reflecting the interplay of social group forces and personal consciousness, by H. T. Mills and Mrs. Mills (Elizabeth Berger). Doris Major, Margaret Martyn, Fanny Moore, Katherine V. Richardson and Mrs. Hobday contributed some striking illustrations to several fervid discussions on form and formality in poetry. In a forthcoming discussion of the child and poetry, contributions by Yorke Crompton and John Graddon are awaited.

Formally organized discussions on set topics are avoided by the Group. So are debates, where fundamentals are frequently obscured in making debate points. The Group aim is stimulative and informative discussion—much as the members of the historic Mermaid and Apollo Club might co-operate. Poetry, not personalities, forms the main Group focus. The Group is a free association of people devoted to poetry and its making, often with violently conflicting basic ideas and ideals. It is not a mutual admiration coterie. It offers no platform for personal vanity. It seeks, not to exhibit personal output, but to stimulate and expand personal creative impulses and conceptions by an essentially congenial—if frequently contentious—communion between individual active poets.

LEIGH HENRY

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY’S CRITICAL SERVICE

The Poetry Society has pleasure in announcing the continuance of its Critical Service for Members. Two poems only may be submitted for criticism, for a minimum fee of 5s. The charge for the criticism of each additional poem is 2s. It is particularly requested that all poems submitted should be typed and that a stamped addressed envelope be enclosed.

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY’S AUDITIONS AND EXAMINATIONS

The Poetry Society has conducted auditions and examinations in the art of verse-speaking for many years, and its success in this valuable cultural activity is attested by the fact that the number of schools and institutions in all parts of England which the Society examines, continually increases.

Junior preliminary examinations are available for the youngest children and these continue through various grades, up to the final test for adult students, for which the Society’s gold medal is the final award for success.

General regulations governing these auditions may be obtained on application to The Registrar, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I, with whom arrangements can be made for auditions for schools, colleges, or private individuals.

 

COMPETITIONS

THE GREENWOOD COMPETITIONS FOR 1951

The Poetry Society is empowered by the executors of the late Mrs. Julia Wickham Greenwood to offer the sum of £20 as the Shirley Carter Greenwood Prize for the best single poem in open competition.

Entries should be addressed “The Greenwood Prize”, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I. Only one poem may be submitted by any one competitor, the length not to exceed 250 lines; no previously published poem may be entered. The full name and address of the author must be given and a stamped addressed envelope enclosed if return of the poem is desired. If a nom-de-plume is adopted, name and address of sender must be given in a closed envelope bearing the pseudonym. The winning poem will be printed in The Poetry Review and may be reprinted at the discretion of the Editor, who may also reserve near winners for publication in The Poetry Review.

Closing date is 31st December, 1951.

 

THE PREMIUM COMPETITION

The above bi-monthly competition continues as before with the total entrance fees as prize money which may be won outright by a single competitor or may be divided at the discretion of the Premium Adjudicator. An entrance fee of 2s. 6d. will be charged, and a stamped addressed envelope should be enclosed if a receipt is desired. Competitors must observe the following rules:

1. One poem only may be entered by each competitor.

2. The poem must be typed and no stamped addressed envelope will be required unless a receipt is desired. (See Rule 3.)

3. Competitors must retain copies of their poems, as none can be returned.

4. Entries must be addressed “Premium Competition”, The Poetry Review, 33 Portman Square, W. I.

5. Each poem must bear the author’s name and address.

6. Entrants must be members of the Poetry Society or regular subscribers to The Poetry Review.

7. The winner of a full Premium or one who has shared the prize twice will not he eligible for re-entry for twelve months.

8. No previously published poem may be entered.

The closing date for the next Premium Competition will be 15th June, 1951.

 

THE HOWARD PARSONS’ EPIGRAM COMPETITION: 1952

The Poetry Society is empowered by Mr. Howard Parsons, a long-standing member of the Society, to offer the following prizes, endowed by him for an Epigram Competition.

1st prize, 5 guineas; 2nd prize, 2 guineas; 3rd prize, 1 guinea. Entries which should not have been previously published should be marked “Epigram” and should not bear a stamped addressed envelope, as MSS. cannot be returned. They should be addressed to The Poetry Society, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I., to reach here not later than 1st March, 1952. The Society reserves the right to extend the closing date of the competition should none of the entries reach the required standard.

 

THE POETRY SOCIETY JUNIOR VERSE COMPETITION

The Poetry Society have pleasure in announcing the next annual Junior Verse Competition. Schools throughout the country are invited to co-operate in submitting the work of their pupils.

The Competition will be divided into two classes:

 (a) Not more than one poem, previously unpublished, to be submitted by any one competitor, age up to thirteen years last birthday. There will be a book prize inscribed by the Poetry Society.

 (b) Not more than one poem, previously unpublished, to be submitted by any one competitor, age from fourteen to seventeen years last birthday. There will be a book prize, inscribed by the Poetry Society and four additional prizes of one year’s Membership to the Poetry Society.

The poem may be on any subject. Closing date, 30th June, 1951. Entries to be addressed to: The Junior Verse Competition, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I. Entries should bear the names and addresses of competitors and copies should be retained as these cannot be returned.

 

THE LORD ALFRED DOUGLAS SONNET COMPETITION FOR 1951

The Poetry Society has the pleasure of announcing the fourth Annual Competition in memory of Lord Alfred Douglas for a sonnet upon any subject. One of the two forms adopted by Lord Alfred Douglas in his sonnets, must be used; these are:

For the Octave — 1, 2, 2, 5; 5, 2, 2, 5.
For the Sextet —3,4, 5; 3,4, 5 or 3, 4; 3, 4; 3,4.

 The prize of £10 may be divided at the discretion of the adjudicator; the winning poem or poems will be published with the award in The Poetry Review. Competitors must retain copies of their poems as these cannot be returned. The sonnets should bear a definite title and not merely marked “Sonnet”. Not more than two sonnets may be submitted by each competitor by 30th June, 1951. Address “Sonnet Competition”, The Poetry Society, 33 Portman Square, London, W.I. Entries should bear names and addresses of competitors. No previously published poem may be entered.