Some notes on the poet Edward Thomas

In an account of his life the year 1900 merits this entry: "Gains a second-class History degree; starts a precarious and lifelong career as a writer."

A hard grafter on grubb street, in one amazingly productive week he reviewed 15 books. He wrote several books each year.

What is astonishing is that he didn't start to write poetry until he was 36. His last poem was written when he was 38. He enlisted even though he could have avoided frontline duty owing to his age. Killed by a bullet through the chest in 1917 at 39.