P.J. Kavanagh's 1982 edition of the 'Collected Poems established Ivor
Gurney (1890-1937) as one of the most original poets of the early
twentieth century. His experiences in the First World War, his love of
his native Gloucestershire countryside were sources of a unique poetic
voice: Vigorous, lyrical and passionate.
In this new, substantially revised edition, Gurney can be enjoyed in his
entirety by a new generation of readers. The poems have been re-ordered
to take into account new work on Gurney, the texts corrected from the
archive and editorial material substantially revised, while retaining
P.J. Kavanagh's extensive original introduction.
To many readers, the 1982 edition was a revelation. Re-reading Gurney,
writes P.J. Kavanagh, 'is to be reminded how miraculously good he can
be: his celebration of the ordinary, his eye for detail, his musical ear
that combines traditional rhythms with the unpredictable...'