Outcasts

by Edith Sitwell

First published in London in 1962, this collection of Sitwell's later poetry contains "several pieces which show that the lyrical impulse of her early days was still alive to make new discoveries of great freshness and tenderness" - Dictionary of National Biography"Her mastery of the long line, the pause, of contrasting fullness and ghostliness of sound is as striking as ever. So is her high simplicity of spirit." - The Times Literary Supplement

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published September 28, 2011

About the author

Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell, DBE, was a British poet and critic.

Reviews

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Said the Bee to the Lion
'My life is a gold prayer--'
Said the laughing Sun
'My life is the gold air.'

Said the Lion to the Bee
'My life is that of the Sun; the hot gold, I rage through
the gold air.'

But I who have known the weight of the August air
And the gold heat in the heart

Am like a bright small start in a starry sky
Bright to myself only.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to be in the right mood to enjoy poetry and I typically like more allegoric poems. This collection of poems was not terribly allegoric nor did I read it while in a mood for poetry (read to complete my reading challenges), so the outcome was as can be expected. Overall the melodramatic preoccupation with death was off-putting, but I did enjoy "Praise We Great Men."

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge | Task 17: Poetry
Popsugar 2015 Reading Challenge | Task 46: A book written by author with my initials (ES)