A letter to a young poet

Penned in response to a letter about her novel ‘The Waves’ from a young poet, John Lehmann, ‘A Letter to a Young Poet’ answers a request for Woolf to set down her views on modern poetry. Written with observational humour and empathy, the letter leaves the reader laughing in recognition of the errors depicted, with the words ‘And for heaven’s sake, publish nothing before you are thirty’ ringing in their ears.