Recognized as a significant work throughout human history, this book has been preserved and republished in a modern format to ensure its legacy endures for current and future readers. Its importance reflects timeless themes and insights that continue to resonate today.
Transnational long before the term gained currency, Lola Ridge (1873-1941) was one of the most notable poets writing in America from the publication of her first book, The Ghetto, in 1918 until her death, inauspiciously, shortly before America's entry into the Second World War. Included are the complete texts of her first three books of poems, The Ghetto, Sun-Up, and Red Flag, as well as the never before published manuscript Verses (1905), the book of early poems she sought to publish in Australia before departing for America in 1907. With its publication, Lola Ridge's important place in the history of twentieth century poetry takes a significant step toward being recognized and restored.
"Verses is a book-length collection of poems that Ridge wrote when she lived in New Zealand and Australia, before she came to the United States in 1907. Completed by 1905, Verses was submitted to the Sydney Bulletin's literary editor for possible book publication. It remained in the Mitchell Library of the State Library of New South Wales in Australia unpublished until now. These forty-six poems represent Ridge's earliest poetic output. Their spirit evokes, and is based in, the life of pioneer miners in New Zealand and Australia. Written in formal rhyming verse (except for one blank verse poem), these poems presage Ridge's grounding in the mystical forces of nature. They also reveal her nascent interest in social justice. And they portray, towards the end of the collection a humorous side to her work. Verses attends to Ridge's attention to person and place. Australasia in the late nineteenth century comes alive in these poems
Culturally significant, this reproduction preserves the integrity of the original artifact, including copyright references and library stamps. It serves as a vital piece of civilization's knowledge base, reflecting the historical context and importance of the work. Readers can expect an authentic experience that honors the original text while providing insights into its historical relevance.
Una vita in perenne movimento quella di Lola Ridge, sradicata dalla terra di origine ed emigrata in vari Paesi, tra cui l'Australia, la Nuova Zelanda e gli Stati Uniti. Dai suoi versi emerge quel sentimento di transitorietà intimamente collegato agli spazi geografici del proprio vissuto, come i luoghi dell'infanzia, che riaccendono inevitabilmente ricordi dolorosi. La capacità visionaria è sostenuta da una memoria sensibile e fluida che trova nel monologo interiore la sua più alta espressione. Nel tessuto narrativo che man mano va delineandosi al lettore, si scorge infine un salvifico altrove, ultimo approdo di un'esistenza "migratoria".