Harold Monro facts for kids
Harold Edward Monro (born March 14, 1879 – died March 16, 1932) was an English poet. He was born in Brussels, Belgium. Monro is famous for owning the Poetry Bookshop in London. This bookshop helped many poets share their work with the public.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Harold Monro was born in Brussels on March 14, 1879. He was the youngest of three children. His father passed away when Harold was only nine years old. This sad event might have influenced his poetry later on.
Harold went to school at Radley College and then to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. His first book of poems came out in 1906. He also worked as an editor for a poetry magazine called The Poetry Review. This magazine became very important in the poetry world.
The Poetry Bookshop
In 1913, Harold Monro opened the Poetry Bookshop in London. This was a special place for poets and readers. He published new poetry books there, sometimes even paying for them himself. The bookshop was a welcoming spot where poets could meet and share ideas. Some poets, like Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, even lived in rooms above the shop! Monro and his bookshop also helped publish the Georgian Poetry series, which featured many popular poets of the time.
Poetry and War
Harold Monro did not write many war poems himself. However, his poems called "Youth in Arms," written at the start of World War I, were among the first to explore how soldiers felt during the war. He wanted to understand "how ungrudgingly Youth dies." These poems were inspired by his worries for his friend, Basil Watt, who was later killed in the Battle of Loos. Monro wrote a poem for Watt called "Lament in 1915." It was a sad poem written in simple, modern language.
After the war, Monro continued to work in poetry. He started another magazine called The Chapbook. He wanted to find a "cultural middle ground" between new, modern poetry and more traditional styles. He even included children's rhymes and songs in his magazine.
Family Life
Harold Monro grew up with his sister Mary. His mother remarried in 1910. In 1903, Harold married Dorothy Elizabeth Browne. Their son, Nigel Monro, was born in Ireland. Nigel later became a surgeon, following a family tradition. Harold and Dorothy separated in 1908.
Later, Harold married Alida Klemantaski in 1920. Alida worked with him at the Poetry Bookshop. Many people believe that Alida had a big impact on Harold's own poetry.
Later Years and Legacy
In his later years, Harold Monro wondered if the Poetry Bookshop had achieved its goals. He had spent most of his money supporting the shop. He felt a bit forgotten by the poets he had helped.
Harold Monro became sick and passed away on March 16, 1932, at the age of 53. He was remembered as a very open-minded person who loved all kinds of poetry. Many people believe that "Perhaps no one did more for the advancement of twentieth-century poetry."
A Special Poem
On August 4, 2014, a special service was held at Westminster Abbey to remember the start of World War I. During the service, a new song was performed. It used words from a poem Harold Monro wrote in 1914 called "To what God shall we chant our songs of battle?" This poem showed his feelings of disappointment about the war.
Poetry Collections
- Poems (1906)
- Chronicle of a Pilgrimage (1909)
- Before Dawn: Poems and Impressions (1911)
- Children of Love (1915)
- Strange Meetings (1917)
- Real Property (1922)
- The Earth for Sale (1928)
- The Silent Pool and other poems (1942)
- Collected Poems (1970)
