- by C Bartholomew
- The Guardian
- Issue #2132
Love of poetry has been a common feature among socialists since Marx and Engels’ admiration for the likes of Shakespeare, Byron, Percy Shelley, John Keats, and Heinrich Heine. Communists have since made their mark on the world of poetry, be it in magazines and newspapers, such as those of the Black Panthers, or the works of revolutionary leaders such as Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh.
Indeed, poetry of some form has been a working-class tradition for centuries, from the ancient tradition of work songs to modern protest music and the many literary forms which have given expression to class struggle.
Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey’s rationale behind their poetry collection, Poetry for the Many, is to introduce readers to a variety of poets whose works speak of themes which resonate with workers and progressive politics. The collection does a good job at this, covering topics such as feminism, anti-colonialism, peace movements, and class struggle.
The collection also features a diverse range of poets, including the likes of Oscar Wilde, and Dylan Thomas alongside Langston Hughes, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. This eclectic mix of poets makes Poetry for the Many an engaging introduction for those new to the world of poetry, while also providing opportunities for more experienced readers to discover works they may not have encountered before.
For anyone who might doubt the power of the works selected for Poetry for the Many, I would urge them to reflect on the outrage the collection has spurred among right-wing reactionaries. One of the first reviews I found for the book was published by the website Mercator, which promotes itself as a “dignitarian” platform which centres humanity over “left or right, liberal or conservative” politics.
Mercator has proven this enlightened commitment to “common sense” over politics by publishing articles which: argue that First Nations Australians were never invaded by British colonisers; promote eugenicist anti-transgender conspiracy theories such as the “social contagion” myth; celebrate Trump’s attacks on the World Health Organisation; cheer on the stripping away of abortion rights around the world; advocate for climate change denial.
The response from platforms such as Mercator (whose criticisms of Corbyn and McCluskey’s book included that the red cover reminded them too much of Mao’s Little Red Book) calling the book a weapon of the “woke jihad” turning poetry into “progressive propaganda” is perhaps the strongest endorsement of Poetry for the Many’s success.
My main criticism of Poetry for the Many is that it is too short. The collection was most likely kept to just over 50 poems to remain accessible for those exploring poetry for the first time. However, this inevitably meant that the collection only touches the surface of a much deeper well of poets and poems. I would love to see either a second collection or an expanded edition including Pablo Neruda, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Adrienne Rich, Oodgeroo Noonuccal, and other worthy poets.
Poetry for the Many achieves what it set out to do. It’s a great introduction to poetry which should leave readers wanting more. The selections by Corbyn and McCluskey, as well as a suite of guest contributors, are varied and engaging. While it may not be particularly groundbreaking, Poetry for the Many will likely have something valuable to offer for anyone who reads it.
