In 1924, the Irish Boundary Commission was established to determine the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland, as provided for in the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Commission, which was composed of representatives from the Irish Free State, Northern Ireland, and the British government, met in 1924 and 1925. The Commission's work was ultimately abandoned, and the border remained largely unchanged, cementing the partition of Ireland.

The Boundary Commission is a subject of political poetry, with writers exploring the failure of the Commission to address the issue of partition. The Commission's work is often contrasted with the hopes of nationalists for a united Ireland, creating a sense of disappointment. The poetry of the period reflects the ongoing frustration with the partition of Ireland, a theme that would persist in Irish literature.