What poets influenced Housman?
A. In a letter in 1933 Housman stated that the main influences of which he was conscious were the songs of Shakespeare, the Scottish Border Ballads and the German poet Heinrich Heine. He specifically denied any strong influence from his background in classical literature (though many have claimed to see it). There are occasional clear classical references, such as the `strengthless dead’ in `To an athlete dying young’ (a Homeric phrase), the free translation of Horace’s Diffugere Nives, or the poems on classical subjects, such as Atys, but these don’t really constitute an influence on his style as a poet. • Q. Who can I ask about publishing works by Housman? A. The Society of Authors in the UK is the current representative of the Housman estate. The poems are out of copyright in the UK now, so in my opinion you don’t need to ask anybody. This is not legal advice, though, and it would be particularly unsafe to rely on it if you are outside the UK. • Q. What does the last part of `Terenc
