Poems

by G.K. Chesterton

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Genres: Poetry, Christian, Classics, Christianity, British Literature, Fiction

133 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1915

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.

He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.

Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.

Reviews

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: "Lepanto" I had read before. A few favorite quotes:

a) From the poem "To M.E.W.":
The pale leaf falls in pallor, but the green leaf turns to gold;
We that have found it good to be young shall find it good to be old;
Life that bringeth the marriage bell, the cradle and the grave,
Life that is mean to the mean of heart, and only brave to the brave.

b) From "The Great Minimum":
Lo, blessed are our ears for they have heard;
Yea, blessed are our eyes for they have seen:
Let thunder break on man and beast and bird
And the lightning. It is something to have been.

c) From "The Mortal Answers":
The world is hot and cruel,
We are weary of heart and hand.
But the world is more full of glory
Than you can understand.

Other poems I liked are "The secret people," which contains a summary of the history of England up to just before the First World War, and "On Righteous Indignation," about the consequences of Original Sin.

ESPAÑOL: Ya había leído "Lepanto". Esta es mi traducción de algunas de mis citas favoritas:

a) Del poema "To M.E.W.":
La hoja pálida cae pálida, la hoja verde se dora;
Quienes gozamos siendo jóvenes, gozaremos siendo viejos;
La vida nos da campanas nupciales, cuna y tumba,
La vida, que es mala para los malos, y brava para los bravos.

b) De "The Great Minimum":
Benditos sean nuestros oídos porque han oído:
Benditos sean nuestros ojos porque han visto.
Que caigan rayos y truenos sobre animales y plantas.
Basta con que hayamos existido.

c) De "The Mortal Answers":
El mundo es ardiente y cruel,
Nos cansa las manos y el corazón.
Pero el mundo está lleno de gloria,
Más de lo que se puede comprender.

Otros poemas que me gustaron son "The secret people", que contiene un resumen de la historia de Inglaterra hasta justo antes de la Primera Guerra Mundial, y "On Righteous Indignation", sobre las consecuencias del pecado original.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Alright, it's time to call it. I love Chesterton's prose writing, and I love some of the content of these poems, but I just cannot connect with his classic/traditional style of poetry, and trying to drudge along is not worth it.

[Luís Branco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chesterton is always a pleasure to read. It is a fantastic book with well composed theopoems.

[Aubrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know nothing about poetry but I thought this was a fun read. I can get behind his love of stars and Christmas but was in the weeds when it came to his political satire poems. Found out that he wrote O God of Earth and Alter. Who knew.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of Chesterton's poetry from the whole of his public career up until 1915. Not written in an esoteric style and virtually free of obscure references (some poems are topical, but people at the time would be familiar with the recent event), these poems are instead straightforward and at times vigorous. The poems are generally of high quality, with a couple clunkers and quite a few that are excellent; all provide a new way to appreciate the thought, insight, and wit of Chesterton.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I figured being an English & Creative Writing Major I would have read some of Chestertons work; surprisingly I hadn’t. I downloaded this free compilation on iBooks and sped through it. The writing is good, the poems flow well and there are a few I genuinely like, but I could not get passed the religious themes being beaten into the poetry. Perhaps if I followed this beliefs the poetry would be more interesting or “mean” more to me. I feel much of it did not withstand the test of time. My rating is based more upon the content vs the technicalities of the writing.

[Dwayne Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fourth Chesterton book I've read, though the first collection of his poetry. He's a talented poet with a vivid imagination and passion for history and reform. Lepanto is an all-time classic. But the collection also spotlights GKC's most obnoxious habits - his militant Catholicism, sneering distaste for Protestants, idolization of the Virgin, and misguided pro-Labour sentimentalism.

[Avalyn Hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found these poems pleasant enough but not nearly up to the standard of Chesterton's prose works. Think of a nice little collection of butter knives where one expected a perfectly-crafted sword and you'll have the idea.

[Brodie Gron · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t find Chesterton to be a great poet. I prefer his prose in Orthodoxy, but there were at least two highlights here (of... uh... 50 poems): The Great Minimum (a great assessment of desire) and The Ballad of Suicide (quite funny).

[Leonard Ondigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incarnation of Shakespeare. Luscious!

[w gall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not GK's forte. Dated. Uninspiring . . .

. . . at least for me; perhaps more so for an early 20th Century Englishman. I look for the profound in poems, not the glib and the clever.

[BC Batcheshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to write the perfect review to get you to read this book, especially since the e-book is available for free - but whether or not you read it wholly comes down to what you choose to do. I can only tell you, if you choose to read this book - that you will have made a good choice, and you will not regret it.
ESSENTIAL.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of Chesterton's writing is hard to grasp, but some of it is so clear and profound that it takes your breath away.

[Hayley Shaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an impressive book of poetry, and last time I checked it's free online. I got my ebook at Amazon. If you like poetry that alludes to abstract ideas and mythology, this book is for you.

[Jen Finke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous. I read all of them aloud.