The Second Rhymer's Book: 'Whose day begins when day is done''

By W B Yeats, Ernest Dowson and Richard Le Gallienne

In 1890 W B Yeats and Ernest Rhys founded a poetry club. Based mainly at Fleet Street’s immortal ‘Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’ pub with occasional appearances at the Domino room in the Café Royal poets gathered together to dine and drink.

Whilst it was based on a core of poets many others attended on an ad hoc basis including Oscar Wilde, Francis Thompson & Lord Alfred Douglas. The camaraderie, banter and poetry that played out in their dreams, ambitions and for many, their difficult lives led Yeats to call them ‘the tragic generation’.

As well as their enthusiastic social forays they printed two anthologies of verse. The first in 1892 and the second in 1894. For all the talent it could call upon the print runs were only in their hundreds.

Part of a poet’s obligation is to move the boundaries of society, to write what others shun. And whilst that is certainly the case with our group in terms of writing in one glaring respect they were very Victorian. The members of the club were only men.

Arthur Ransome sums up their existence as "... the Rhymer's Club used to meet, to drink from tankards, smoke clay pipes, and recite their own poetry".

Whilst their initial aims were food, drink, camaraderie and bragging, the reality is that their poetry gives us so much more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Portable Poetry
• Release date: Jun 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839675270

Book preview

The Second Book of The Rhymer’s Club

In 1890 W B Yeats and Ernest Rhys founded a poetry club.  Based mainly at Fleet Street’s immortal ‘Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’ pub with occasional appearances at the Domino room in the Café Royal poets gathered together to dine and drink.

Whilst it was based on a core of poets many others attended on an ad hoc basis including Oscar Wilde, Francis Thompson & Lord Alfred Douglas. The camaraderie, banter and poetry that played out in their dreams, ambitions and for many, their difficult lives led Yeats to call them ‘the tragic generation’.

As well as their enthusiastic social forays they printed two anthologies of verse. The first in 1892 and the second in 1894.  For all the talent it could call upon the print runs were only in their hundreds.

Part of a poet’s obligation is to move the boundaries of society, to write what others shun. And whilst that is certainly the case with our group in terms of writing in one glaring respect they were very Victorian.  The members of the club were only men. 

Arthur Ransome sums up their existence as ... the Rhymer's Club used to meet, to drink from tankards, smoke clay pipes, and recite their own poetry.

Whilst their initial aims were food, drink, camaraderie and bragging, the reality is that their poetry gives us so much more.

THE RHYMERS CLUB MEMBERS

ERNEST DOWSON

EDWIN J. ELLIS

G A GREENE

ARTHUR CECIL HILLIER

LIONEL JOHNSON

RICHARD LE GALLIENNE

VICTOR PLARR

ERNEST RADFORD

ERNEST RHYS

T W ROLLESTON

ARTHUR SYMONS

JOHN TODHUNTER

W B YEATS

Index of Contents

In Westminster Abbey: October 12, 1892 by John Todhunter 

Beyond? by G A Greene

Ad Cinerarium by Victor Plarr

Extreme Unction by Ernest Dawson

Solace (In Memoriam W. H. V) by Ernest Radford

Lost by Ernest Radford 

Mystic and Cavalier by Lionel Johnson

The Rose in My Heart by W B Yeats

Howel the Tall by Ernest Rhys

A Ballad of London by Richard Le Gallienne

Venus by Edwin J Ellis 

Nora on the Pavement by Arthur Symons 

Morning: Cycling Song by T W Rolleston 

The Invasion of Brittany by Arthur Cecil Hillier

To a Breton Beggar by Victor Plarr

Glories by Lionel Johnson

The Song of Tristram by John Todhunter 

To One in Bedlam by Ernest Dowson 

Proserpine (For a Picture) by G A Greene

The Folk of the Air by W B Yeats

Song by Ernest Radford

Love's Exchange by Richard Le Gallienne

In Excelsis by Arthur Cecil Hillier

Love and Art by Arthur Symons

A Year of the River by Edwin J Ellis

Noon-day (Elegiacs) by T W Rolleston 

Song of the Wulfshaw Larches by Ernest Rhys

To Morfydd by Lionel Johnson

Deer in Greenwich Park by Victor Plarr

Non Sum Qualis eram honae sub regno Cynarae by Ernest Dowson 

Euthanasia (fin de siecle) by John Todhunter 

'Violets Full' by G A Greene

The Second Crucifixion by Richard Le Gallienne

The Fiddler of Dooney by W B Yeats

Orpheus in Covent Garden by Arthur Cecil Hillier

Song in the Labour Movement by Ernest Radford

Evening (Evensong) by T W Rolleston 

Peace by Edwin J Ellis

Song by Arthur Symons

Death and the Player by Victor Plarr

In Opera-land by Arthur Cecil Hillier 

Growth by Ernest Dowson 

Quatrains by John Todhunter 

The Dark Angel by Lionel Johnson

A Mood ('They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him') by G A Greene

A Mystical Prayer to The Masters of the Elements — Finvarra, Feacra and Caolte by W B Yeats

Hesperides by Richard Le Gallienne

Acknowledgment: To H E T by Ernest Radford

Night: After All by T W Rolleston

Saint Anthony by Edwin J Ellis

To O. E by Ernest Rhys

A Variation Upon Love by Arthur Symons

A Secret of the Sea by Victor Plarr

In an Old Library by John Todhunter

The Garden of Shadow by Ernest Dowson

The Memorial Garden by Arthur Cecil Hillier

The Cap and Bells by W B Yeats

The Coming of War by Lionel johnson

Lady Macbeth (For a Picture by John S. Sargent, A.R.A.) by G A Greene

Time's Monotone by Richard Le Gallienne

The Shelley Memorial: The Master's Speech by