- Randall Swingler
Randall Swingler MM (
28 May 1909 – 1967) was an English poet, writing extensively in the 1930s in thecommunist interest.His was a prosperous middle class
Anglican family nearNottingham , with an industrial background in theMidlands . He was educated atWinchester College , andNew College, Oxford . He was an accomplishedflautist , and later was much involved in musical collaboration, as a librettist.He joined the
Communist Party of Great Britain in 1934. His numerous ventures as a literary entrepreneur included: the setting up of "Fore Publications "(1938); the magazines "Left Review" (to 1938), "Arena", "Seven" (taken over in wartime, mainly for ths paper stock), "Our Time"; and the publishing of the "Key Books ", and later "Key Poets " series. These proved more influential than his Blake-flavoured verse, which has consistently been criticised (and scarcely defended, except by Andy Croft).He operated in North London, as a close associate of
Nancy Cunard , sometimes lending his name. He was one of the organisers of the covert Writer's Group of the late 1930s, attempting to co-ordinate a 'literary policy' of the Left. He was involved also in work for theUnity Theatre .He served with the
British Army inItaly inWorld War II , joining as a private soldier, and being awarded theMilitary Medal . After the war he experienced hard times. He left the CPGB in 1956. He was a founder ofE. P. Thompson 's "The New Reasoner " (from 1957).Works
*Crucifixus (1932) play
*Difficult Morning (1933) poems
*The Left Song Book, (1938) compiled withAlan Bush
*The Years of Anger - poems
*The God in the Cave (1950) poems
*Selected Poems of Randall Swingler (2000) edited byAndy Croft (writer) References
*"Comrade Heart: A Life of Randall Swingler" (2003) by
Andy Croft (writer)
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