This anthology investigates the evolution of English-language poetry in the post-war era, specifically identifying a shift toward a style characterized by civility, passion, and order. Editor D.J. Enright, a noted poet and critic, curates this collection to document the emergence of significant voices between 1945 and 1980. By selecting forty poets from Britain, the United States, and the Commonwealth, Enright argues that the period is defined by a distinct aesthetic sensibility that balances formal control with emotional depth. The volume serves as a critical survey of how poets navigated the cultural landscape of the late twentieth century.

Critics and scholars often view this anthology as a definitive snapshot of the mid-century poetic canon as perceived by the Oxford editorial tradition. Readers frequently note that the selection reflects a conservative, formalist bias that prioritizes traditional craftsmanship over the more radical stylistic shifts occurring during the same period.