I bought this at the same time as 'Monster Quest' and found the Houseman far more disturbing. This deceptively simple, carefully crafted poetry has earned its fame by having some of the most memorable couplets outside of Shakespeare; but Houseman's 'land of lost content' is not, as it is supposed (and as this icily clever don wished it to be supposed) notalgia for pre 1st war country boy innocence. His tortured frustration and defiant shame goes beyond the normal fears of a homosexual of this era and tips over into loathing. I am never quite sure what he loathes and resents...innocence, heterosexuality, young men who do not suffer as he does, who have hurt him by their rejection?...but the majority of these poems are about blood and the coming death of many now happy 'lads', and something in his fine old silky tone makes me feel that he is glad about it. Read them and feel the sweat drip under the academic gown. Excellent introduction.
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