66126: The Stone-Breaker

Manuscript in pencil in Ivor Gurney's hand. This is a 5 stanza version of the poem, dated 'Warrington July'. An earlier draft of the poem showing only the first 5 lines exists in the black manuscript notebook 64.5.7. Gurney revised the poem and sent it to Marion Scott in 'The Canon Notebook' 52.5 with two new opening and two new closing stanzas, asking her opinion of the work in September 1918. Included in 'War's Embers' (1919). Found in a burgundy notebook containing fair copies of poems made by Gurney. It appears to have been compiled primarily in 1918.