Collected Poems 1951-2000

by Charles Causley

Book by Charles Causley

Genres: Poetry

430 pages

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Charles Stanley Causley was born in Launceston in Cornwall, and spent most of his life there. After serving in the navy in the second world war (an experience he wrote about in Hands to Dance and Skylark), he worked as a teacher in Launceston and began publishing verse in the 1950s. His poetry includes many references to Cornwall and its legends, and in his later years he published many books of verse for children, several of which have been illustrated by prominent artists.

In addition to his poetry, Causley wrote plays, short stories and opera librettos. He was also a prolific editor of collections of poetry. In 1958 Causley was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded a CBE in 1986. Other awards include the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1967. He was presented with the Heywood Hill Literary Prize in 2000. Between 1962 and 1966 he was a member of the Poetry Panel of the Arts Council of Great Britain.

Causley was very highly regarded by his fellow poets, and on his 70th birthday, many of them, including Ted Hughes, Elizabeth Jennings, Roger McGough and Seamus Heaney contributed to a collection of poetry and prose tributes published in his honour.

Charles Causley died in 2003.

Reviews

[Michael Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know. I wanted to like this guy, and did take note of poems I enjoyed, but I found a lot of this very twee. "Skylarks next to maiden darks". Talk about forced rhymes! I just found this guy frustrating.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one of the of the 20th Century’s most fashionable poets, Charles Causley was writing traditional poems with structures and rhyme schemes at a time when other poets. Weren’t. As a teacher (a profession Causley likens in one poem to being sent to “chalk Siberia”) I knew, and have even taught, a couple of his poems, but wanted to read some more of his work and this book is probably the best collection of his work out there.

There is a range of poems here, from traditional ballads on Cornish history to children’s poems to religious reflections. Personally, I felt the best poems were those that were autobiographical; reflecting on his childhood, growing up in rural Cornwall between the wars, and his experiences in the navy in the Second World War. As far as the ballads were concerned, I like a ballad as much as the next man, but there were a few too many tragic tales of Cornish maids with "hair as bright as gold" and "skin as soft as sable" for my liking…

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

After staying in Charles Causley’s house at Cyprus Well on a writer’s retreat, I decided to buy the whole volume of poetry which I read alongside his biography as it was great to see his poems in context. Result: I absolutely love his poetry and will dip in and out of this book frequently from now on. I have my favourites too!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dipped in and out of this book, reading only a few poems each day. I thought the poems were well organised within the book, by theme. I hadn’t heard of this poet before I read the book, and I enjoyed the poems very much. There were many poems in this collection that made me stop and ponder, but my favourite was ‘Ten Types of Hospital Visitor’.

[Sylvia Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

some wonderful insights here though i did find the dead sailors a bit repetitive attimes- but some of the obseravtions and insights were just wonderful - for an off chance buy at an oxfambook shop it was a very good find i must say

[Daniel Klawitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Strike the drum, Bandmaster
Under the rig of the moon.
The girls come whirling, their veils unfurling,
But what has become of the tune?"

[Derek Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some wonderful poems. But Causley does love to dwell on the dark side of life.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right - have abandoned this having got roughly half way thro’. I can see that these are good poems - hence the 3 stars - but, v sadly they don’t speak to me. My copy is now at the charity shop!