We have attempted to present selections from the poetry of a
generation, and for convenience have included poets who are
under forty or who would have been under forty at the time
of the appearance of this publication. The poets represented
in this anthology were born between 1917 and 1935. What
characteristics are to be discovered in this poetry, we leave
to the reader to determine. That poetry today is worthy of
its inheritance, we hope we shall have shown in the follow-
ing pages.

In the preparation of this volume we have read the work
of more than three hundred poets. We regret the omission
of certain work which individual editors wished included, and
can only plead that this anthology represents a composite
judgment. Our original aim was to print fewer poets and
more poems by each, but to do so would have excluded many
poets whose work we admire. It is hoped that in subsequent
editions of this anthology poets who have been unavoidably
omitted may be included.

Our selection of English poets may not be representative.
Though we have read extensively in English books and manu-
scripts, we cannot claim to be familiar with all the work
being done in England today. Nor can we be confident that
our judgment of English poetry is as sure as it might be if
we were living in England.

We dedicate this anthology, with gratitude, to Mr. Thomas
Langbert, whose belief in the value of this undertaking made
it possible.

March 20, 1957

Donald Hall
Robert Pack
Louis Simpson

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