Allen Upward
Allen Upward was a British poet, lawyer, politician, and teacher, known for his contributions to the early 20th-century literary movement of Imagism. Born in Worcester, he emerged as a notable figure in the literary scene, particularly with his inclusion in the groundbreaking anthology 'Des Imagistes,' edited by Ezra Pound in 1914. This anthology played a pivotal role in defining Imagist poetry, emphasizing clarity, precision, and economy of language, and Upward's work exemplified these principles. His poetry often explored themes of modernity and the human experience, reflecting the changing social landscape of his time. In addition to his literary pursuits, Upward's career spanned various fields, including law and politics, showcasing his diverse talents and interests. His familial connections, particularly with his first cousin once removed, Edward Upward, also placed him within a broader literary context. Although not as widely recognized today, Upward's contributions to Imagism and his multifaceted career mark him as a significant figure in the evolution of modern poetry, influencing subsequent generations of poets who sought to break away from traditional forms and embrace a more innovative approach to verse.
Famous Quotes
View all 5 quotes“Matter would have the universe a uniform dispersion, motionless, complete. Spirit would have an earth, a heaven and a hell, whirl and conflict, an incandescent sun to drive away the dark, to illuminate good and evil, would have thought, memory, desire, would build a stairway of forms increasing in complexity, inclusiveness, to a heaven ever receding above, changing always in configuration, becoming when reached but the way to more distant heavens, the last . . . but there is no last, for spirit tends upward without end, wanders, spirals, dips, but tends ever upward, ruthlessly using lower forms to create higher forms, moving toward ever greater inwardness, consciousness, spontaneity, to an ever greater freedom.””
“The urge to thrust my hips upward was strong, but she said this was for her, so I held myself still with monumental effort and let her play with me.””
“To them that seek the highest good All things subserve the wisest ends; Nought comes as ill, and wisdom lends Wings to all shapes of evil brood. The dark’ning sorrow veils a Star That waits to shine with gladsome light; Hell waits on heaven; and after night Comes golden glory from afar. Defeats are steps by which we climb With purer aim to nobler ends; Loss leads to gain, and joy attends True footsteps up the hills of time. Pain leads to paths of holy bliss, To thoughts and words and deeds divine; And clouds that gloom and rays that shine, Along life’s upward highway kiss Misfortune does but cloud the way Whose end and summit in the sky Of bright success, sunkiss’d and high, Awaits our seeking and our stay. The heavy pall of doubts and fears That clouds the Valley of our hopes, The shades with which the spirit copes, The bitter harvesting of tears. The heartaches, miseries, and griefs, The bruisings born of broken ties, All these are steps by which we rise To living ways of sound beliefs. Love, pitying, watchful, runs to meet The Pilgrim from the Land of Fate; All glory and all good await The coming of obedient feet.””
Books from the author
