The Poetry of Alice Meynell

Poetry is a fascinating use of language. With almost a million words at its command it is not surprising that these Isles have produced some of the most beautiful, moving and descriptive verse through the centuries. In this series we look at individual poets who have shaped and influenced their craft and cement their place in our heritage. In this volume we look at the works of the poet Alice Meynell. She was born Alice Christiana Gertrude Thompson on September 22nd 1847. Her early years were in England, Switzerland, and France as the family moved around finally settling in Italy where she was thereafter raised mainly in Italy. Her great interest in religion caused here to convert to the Catholic faith. Much of that interest is seen in her first published volume in 1875, Preludes. In 1876 she married Wilfred Meynell and they set up and published a number of magazines as well as giving birth to 8 children. She continued to write and as the century drew to a close she became increasingly interested in the plight of the oppressed as the Empire went through its regular bouts of turbulence. As the new century dawned and in the last part of her life she became a leader of the Women’s Suffrage movement. A sufferer from migraines and depression she died in 1922 and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. Many samples are at our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PortablePoetry?feature=mhee The full volume can be purchased. Among our readers are Richard Mitchley and Ghizela Rowe