22 pages 44 minutes read

W. H. Auden

September 1, 1939

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1939

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Related Poems

Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden (1938)

Also known as “Stop all the clocks,” this is one of Auden’s most famous and prevailing poems. It brought new audiences to his work after its appearance in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral.

September 2, 1939” by M. Jean Prussing (1939)

Sharing a near-identical title, this poem is another artistic response to the events of the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

This poem offers another look at the escalating events of World War II, highlighting the humanity within these cataclysmic events.

Further Literary Resources

This article uses a contemporary lens to examine the prevailing relevance of Auden’s poem, drawing from the sociohistorical context of the time as well as relevant current events.

W. H. Auden’s Juicy Missing Diary Appears!” by Alexis Coe for Medium

This cheeky article contains the contents of the "Sept. 1" entry in Auden’s personal journal that was acquired by the British Library. The diary covers the period of August to November 1939, details the poet’s new life in America, and the political changes happening prior to the attack of September 1.

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