Letters 
Letter Tags
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After his long letter of 26 March, Tolkien writes a shorter message and includes a poem, 'Morning'.
Smith responds to the poems that Tolkien had sent him. Smith likes poems in the classical form, and doesn't understand Tolkien's wayward roman...
Gilson writes to Tolkien saying he has received Tolkien's poems safely, but is yet to read them. Gilson ends up sending them along to Christopher W...
G.B. Smith writes that he is unwell and says that Tolkien's letters offer him consolation, especially Tolkien's mentions of Smith's Newga...
Wiseman gives Tolkien some feedback on his poetry. He and Gilson had been discussing it and Smith had said previously that he was impressed with it. Wis...
Writing to Tolkien, G.B. Smith confirms he is now with the 19th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. They are stationed at the grand Hotel, Penmeanmaw...
Replying to a letter from Tolkien (at this time I have no date for that letter but it is almost certainly to congratulate Tolkien that both of them had ...
Smith makes mention of the volume of Georgian Poetry he had asked Tolkien to send him.
G.B. Smith wrote to Tolkien on or around 10 July 1915, he suggests the notice Tolkien would receive from the War Office would be the 'gazetting&apo...
Gilson confides to King that he doesn't have the "strings that ought to vibrate to faint fantastic fairy music" - he prefers more direct ...
Wiseman does not think Tolkien's Elvish creations ('Kortirion') are "good warm or fair", and neither are the mathematics of sci...
Only noted by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull in their entry for '4 and 9 March 1917', Tolkien had replied to Wiseman's letter sugge...
Wiseman writes to Tolkien in reply to an earlier letter from Tolkien, in which Tolkien had replied about the "epic" Wiseman suggests he start ...
As with Tolkien's ealier letter this handwritten letter finds Tolkien again discussing academia at Leeds University. He promises Brett-Smith that h...
Salmon writes to Tolkien and asks if they can meet in Oxford on 29 November, a Monday.
Tolkien replies to Salmon. He can meet him any time on Monday, 29th November.
Tolkien responds to Mr. Masefield regarding the lines provided for a performance. Tolkien expresses no objection to being preceded by the lines and defe...
Writing to Christopher, Tolkien remarks that has heard C.S. Lewis reading from his new translation of Aeneid, in rhymed alexandrines.
This three page letter is held at the Wade but no details of it are known. The Charles Williams collection at the Wade states this is "A "Clos...
Tolkien writes an eight page letter to A.W. Riddle, discussing in very deep detail split infinitives and the evolution of written and colloquially spoke...
Philip Unwin writes to Tolkien on the matter of his riddles from The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin wants to use a poem and the riddles in an anthology but ar...
Tolkien provides information about the origin and authorship of the riddles included in The Hobbit. He clarifies that most of the riddles are his origin...
Tolkien was delighted to receive a letter from Mr. John Staniforth referring to himself as a "sexagenarian". Tolkien cites his noticing of the...
Tolkien discusses some questions from The New York Times. He talks about the name, TOLKIEN, his ancestors, and even though he was born in Africa, he con...
Elizabeth Jennings had sent Tolkien an inscribed copy of her book of poetry, A Way of Looking. Tolkien on the whole likes the book.
Mr Britten asked some questions about the nomenclature of place names, and the map of the Shire. Tolkien discusses the names Pincup, Nobottle, and Oxfor...
Tolkien writes to his Aunt Jane about publishing Tom Bombadil.
Allen & Unwin agree to publish The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. Tolkien included version D3 of 'The Dragon's Visit'.
Tolkien sends some poems that he is considering for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Tolkien discusses progress with The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Pauline Baynes, who was illustrating The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, pointed out that the typescript of the title poem described Tom as wearing a peacoc...
Tolkien discusses rhyme and a poem sent to the professor by the recipient Roalind Ramage, offers much encouragement and includes a poem of his own for R...
Tolkien opens this letter by apologising for his delay in replying to a letter from September, and that his secretary had typed up a note but he felt a ...
Tolkien wrote to a young family friend, containing a long discussion about composing verse. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were about to be publis...
Tolkien writes to W.H. Auden and remarks that he was delighted to receive his letter, noting that it "did much to restore my spirits". He was ...
Tolkien replies to a letter from Leyerle which had been hand delivered to him by William Ready. Tolkien has ceased work on his translation of The Owl an...
Writing to W. H. Auden, Tolkien says that he believes he has "lying about" a poem called 'Volsungakvida en nyja'.
Tolkien replies to a letter from George Burke Johnston thanking him for his gift and discussing the meaning of 'root' in the Troll's song.
Letter Tags
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Guide to Tolkien's Letters
Poetry
(39 letters match)1910
28 March 1910
J.R.R. Tolkien to Edith Bratt
#2346
After his long letter of 26 March, Tolkien writes a shorter message and includes a poem, 'Morning'.
1915
27 March 1915
G. B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2325
Smith responds to the poems that Tolkien had sent him. Smith likes poems in the classical form, and doesn't understand Tolkien's wayward roman...
31 March 1915
Rob Gilson to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1213
Gilson writes to Tolkien saying he has received Tolkien's poems safely, but is yet to read them. Gilson ends up sending them along to Christopher W...
?3 April 1915
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1214
G.B. Smith writes that he is unwell and says that Tolkien's letters offer him consolation, especially Tolkien's mentions of Smith's Newga...
25 April 1915
Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1228
Wiseman gives Tolkien some feedback on his poetry. He and Gilson had been discussing it and Smith had said previously that he was impressed with it. Wis...
?14 May 1915
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1241
Writing to Tolkien, G.B. Smith confirms he is now with the 19th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. They are stationed at the grand Hotel, Penmeanmaw...
11 June 1915
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1245
Replying to a letter from Tolkien (at this time I have no date for that letter but it is almost certainly to congratulate Tolkien that both of them had ...
25 June 1915
Geofrey Bache Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2326
Smith makes mention of the volume of Georgian Poetry he had asked Tolkien to send him.
c. 10 July 1915
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1273
G.B. Smith wrote to Tolkien on or around 10 July 1915, he suggests the notice Tolkien would receive from the War Office would be the 'gazetting&apo...
1916
14 January 1916
Robert Quilter Gilson to Estelle King
#2451
Gilson confides to King that he doesn't have the "strings that ought to vibrate to faint fantastic fairy music" - he prefers more direct ...
14 March 1916
Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2452
Wiseman does not think Tolkien's Elvish creations ('Kortirion') are "good warm or fair", and neither are the mathematics of sci...
1917
c. February 1917
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Wiseman
#1582
Only noted by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull in their entry for '4 and 9 March 1917', Tolkien had replied to Wiseman's letter sugge...
4 March 1917
Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1583
Wiseman writes to Tolkien in reply to an earlier letter from Tolkien, in which Tolkien had replied about the "epic" Wiseman suggests he start ...
1925
8 August 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to H.F.B. Brett-Smith
#68
As with Tolkien's ealier letter this handwritten letter finds Tolkien again discussing academia at Leeds University. He promises Brett-Smith that h...
1937
23 November 1937
C.V. Salmon to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2110
Salmon writes to Tolkien and asks if they can meet in Oxford on 29 November, a Monday.
26 November 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.V. Salmon
#2111
Tolkien replies to Salmon. He can meet him any time on Monday, 29th November.
1938
27 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Masefield
#36
Carpenter #32
Tolkien responds to Mr. Masefield regarding the lines provided for a performance. Tolkien expresses no objection to being preceded by the lines and defe...
1943
22 September 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#2397
Writing to Christopher, Tolkien remarks that has heard C.S. Lewis reading from his new translation of Aeneid, in rhymed alexandrines.
C. November 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Williams
#961
This three page letter is held at the Wade but no details of it are known. The Charles Williams collection at the Wade states this is "A "Clos...
1947
10 January 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to A.W. Riddle
#127
Tolkien writes an eight page letter to A.W. Riddle, discussing in very deep detail split infinitives and the evolution of written and colloquially spoke...
2 September 1947
Philip Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2599
Philip Unwin writes to Tolkien on the matter of his riddles from The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin wants to use a poem and the riddles in an anthology but ar...
20 September 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Philip Unwin
#256
Carpenter #110
Tolkien provides information about the origin and authorship of the riddles included in The Hobbit. He clarifies that most of the riddles are his origin...
1954
13 October 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Staniforth
#193
Tolkien was delighted to receive a letter from Mr. John Staniforth referring to himself as a "sexagenarian". Tolkien cites his noticing of the...
1955
30 June 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Houghton Mifflin Co.
#478
Carpenter #165
Tolkien discusses some questions from The New York Times. He talks about the name, TOLKIEN, his ancestors, and even though he was born in Africa, he con...
21 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Elizabeth Jennings
#2563
Elizabeth Jennings had sent Tolkien an inscribed copy of her book of poetry, A Way of Looking. Tolkien on the whole likes the book.
1956
11 November 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Britten
#260
Mr Britten asked some questions about the nomenclature of place names, and the map of the Shire. Tolkien discusses the names Pincup, Nobottle, and Oxfor...
1961
4 October 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jane Neave
#606
Carpenter #231
Tolkien writes to his Aunt Jane about publishing Tom Bombadil.
15 November 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#608
Carpenter #233
Allen & Unwin agree to publish The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. Tolkien included version D3 of 'The Dragon's Visit'.
22 November 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jane Neave
#609
Carpenter #234
Tolkien sends some poems that he is considering for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
1962
12 April 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#612
Carpenter #237
Tolkien discusses progress with The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
1 August 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#615
Carpenter #240
Pauline Baynes, who was illustrating The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, pointed out that the typescript of the title poem described Tom as wearing a peacoc...
1963
7 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rosalind Ramage
#514
Tolkien discusses rhyme and a poem sent to the professor by the recipient Roalind Ramage, offers much encouragement and includes a poem of his own for R...
16 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Baronne A. Baeyens
#516
Tolkien opens this letter by apologising for his delay in replying to a letter from September, and that his secretary had typed up a note but he felt a ...
1965
26 August 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Paula Coston (née Iley)
#700
Tolkien wrote to a young family friend, containing a long discussion about composing verse. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were about to be publis...
1967
29 March 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to W.H. Auden
#668
Carpenter #295
Tolkien writes to W.H. Auden and remarks that he was delighted to receive his letter, noting that it "did much to restore my spirits". He was ...
28 April 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Leyerle
#800
Tolkien replies to a letter from Leyerle which had been hand delivered to him by William Ready. Tolkien has ceased work on his translation of The Owl an...
1968
29 January 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to W. H. Auden
#1925
Writing to W. H. Auden, Tolkien says that he believes he has "lying about" a poem called 'Volsungakvida en nyja'.
24 May 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to George Burke Johnston
#804
Tolkien replies to a letter from George Burke Johnston thanking him for his gift and discussing the meaning of 'root' in the Troll's song.
18