Category Archives: Poetry

A.E. Housman’s “A Shropshire Lad”

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

I read these 60 or do little lyrics yesterday as a birthday treat, and about two-thirds of the way through was convinced they were the best poems ever (but I wasn’t so sure by the end). So simple – regular … Continue reading →

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Statius: “Achilleid”

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

This 1st-century AD Latin poet died after writing a book and a half of his epic on Achilles; intended no doubt to build on the success of his Thebaid, about the civil war between the sons of Oedipus Polynices and … Continue reading →

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“Anabase” by St-John Perse

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

The book in question is T.S. Eliot’s translation of this 1920 French poem, with the original text on facing pages. Also included are several prefaces and forewords from other editions, all translated into English. I bought it many years ago … Continue reading →

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Poetry Review 104:2 Summer 2014

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

Philip Gross is always very interesting (e.g. Deep Field), so I was pleased that the first three poems in this edition were his. The first, “The Players” is a brilliantly subtle evocation of the causes and ramifications of the First … Continue reading →

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John Stammers: Stolen Love Behaviour

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

A volume from 2005 which I think I received when I was in the Poetry Book Society. Hadn’t touched it. Definitely a voice new to me, and largely very successful. The usual few poems that I don’t understand [and about … Continue reading →

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The Poetry of Birds, ed. Simon Armitage and Tim Dee

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

If you like poetry and birds, this book removes the hendiadys. Two engaging essays by the editors, and a wealth of poems from all sorts of poets on all sorts of birds. The highlight for me was discovering the poetry … Continue reading →

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“The Human Chain” by Seamus Heaney

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

This, Heaney’s final collection, shows the poet at his most self-effacing, almost writing himself out of history, restricting his subject matter and themes to the narrowest, becoming a palimpsest for older, greater, thoughts to travel via his poems.

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Poetry Review 104:1 Spring 2014

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

Highlights: Jan Wagner’s “evensong, lago di como” (translated by Eva Bourke): an excellent Martian-postcard poem: …the empty car ferry carries a last cargo of light across the water. Review of Philip Gross’ Later, which manages to describe his style in ways … Continue reading →

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“Deep Field” by Philip Gross

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Houyhnhnm

[See update, below] Philip Gross’ contribution to a Quaker discussion on ‘non—theism’ is amazing: he speaks fast, weaving his own poems into what he says (sometimes breaking into one with no pause), and succeeds in deepening any listener’s thoughts about that word … Continue reading →

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“The Aeneid” by Virgil

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Houyhnhnm

Strange to confess, but this is the first time I’ve read the entire poem cover to cover (in English, quickly – several decades ago I’d read it all in Latin over a number of weeks). It came out other than … Continue reading →

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