"When London Calls" (1900) is a poem by Australian poet Victor Daley.
It was originally published in The Bulletin on 8 December 1900, and was subsequently reprinted in the author's single-author collections and a number of Australian poetry anthologies.
The poet describes literary London as an "Ogress" who lures artists from far lands to come to England and to impress her. But she is never amused and strangles those who join her.
Critical reception Meg Tasker, in Southerly, came to the conclusion that it was the poor London reception of his poetry collection At Dawn and Dusk that was the catalyst for this poem: "It is against this background of critical responses to his poetry that Daley produced 'When London Calls', his striking portrait of London as an ageing, bejeweled Sphinx luring the bright young talents of the world to their doom, offering gems but slaying the souls of those who do manage to please her."Southerly, Vol. 70, No. 1, 2011. "'When London calls' and fleet street beckons: Daley's poem, Reg's Diary - what happens when it all goes 'Bung'?" by Meg Tasker
Tasker also notes Daley's poem was written as a part of an ongoing discussion in The Bulletin and The Bookfellow, both edited by Alfred Stephens, about the merits, or otherwise, of Australian literary figures travelling to London to work. "In a letter to A.G. Stephens, Daley suggested that it be published in April 1900 to coincide with Henry Lawson’s departure for London – a belligerent gesture perhaps, and one that was ignored; it was held over until December."
Publication history
After the poem's initial publication in The Bulletin in 1900 it was reprinted as follows:
Wine and Roses by Victor J. Daley, edited by Bertram Stevens, Angus and Robertson, 1911 The Lone Hand, January 1912 Creeve Roe : Poetry edited by Muir Holburn and Marjorie Pizer, Pinchgut Press, 1947 The Penguin Book of Australian Verse edited by Harry Heseltine, Penguin Books, 1972 The Collins Book of Australian Poetry edited by Rodney Hall, Collins, 1981 The Penguin Book of Australian Satirical Verse edited by Philip Neilsen, Penguin, 1986 The Sting in the Wattle : Australian Satirical Verse edited by Philip Neilsen, University of Queensland Press, 1993 London Was Full of Rooms edited by Tully Barnett, Rick Hosking, S. C. Harrex, Nena Bierbaum, and Graham Tulloch, Lythrum Press, 2006
See also 1900 in Australian literature 1900 in poetry
References