Collected Poems, 1930-1955.

Bookseller Notes

Inscribed by the author on the title-page: 'For John Baxter, from George Barker'. Laid in is a 2pp. typed letter from the author to a 'Maureen Ebbie', consenting for her to use 'Italian Letter' in her 'New Poems' anthology but not able to provide a copy as he does not have one (likewise, he mentions, another poem previously sent, which 'if they do not propose to use it [...] I should like returned to me'; on the following page he offers a short autobiographical summary, describing his route from Marlborough Road School to Tokyo then America and a period of extensive travel following his marriage, up to the present where he lives 'in a woodcutters cottage and intend[s] to stay there for ever' (these details putting it roughly contemporary with the book).A notable aspect of this collection is the stated omission of his 'True Confession', which, a note at the end of the Contents states, 'Mr. Barker wished to include in this volume, [but which] has been omitted at the publishers' request'. Eliot's distaste for this work, published by Fore in 1950, is known.