A beautifully curated anthology spanning the rich tradition of English and American poetry, from Geoffrey Chaucer and the Elizabethan masters to W. H. Auden in England, and from the Revolutionary era through the Second World War in America. Carefully edited and introduced by renowned poets and critics William Rose Benét and Conrad Aiken, this classic Modern Library edition offers an exceptional survey of the voices, movements, and enduring works that have shaped the English-language poetic canon.
About the Authour
William Rose Benét (February 2, 1886 – May 4, 1950) was an American poet, writer, and editor. He was the older brother of Stephen Vincent Benét. In 1942, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his book of autobiographical verse, The Dust Which Is God (1941). His brother was awarded the same prize two years later in 1944. Benét is also the author of The Reader's Encylopedia, a standard American guide to world literature.
Poet, short story writer, critic and novelist, Conrad Aiken (1889-1973) has been called the most metaphysical, the most learned, and the most modern of poets. With writing that reflects an intense interest in psychological, philosophical, and scientific issues, Aiken remains a unique influence upon modern writers and critics today. In his lifetime, Aiken received many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1930 and the National Book Award for Poetry in 1954. He served as the Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress from 1950-1952.
