Yes, Chris, I think buy The White Lie, or check it out of the library... HIs anthhologies are also well worth having (101 Sonnets, New British Poetry).

Landing Light, which won the 2003 T. S. Eliot Prize, is now available in the U. S. in an edition from Graywolf Press. I was asked to review the volume; the result appears in the current issue of Avatar Review .



[This message has been edited by Howard (edited October 17, 2005).]

I'd recommend Landing Light and also his other collections.

Here are two sonnets from Landing Light - one of them is quoted in full in Howard's article too.

And here's another poem from the collection called The Rat

Howard - there is a typo in Walking with Russell in the penultimate line of the poem when you quote it in your (very good) review - it should be "men" rather than "me". I guess it's obvious though for any reader paying attention to the rhyme scheme.



[This message has been edited by winter (edited October 17, 2005).]

Mea culpa. I was under the impression I proofread the piece before sending it in; apparently, I didn't, at least not well. Thanks for the correction.

OK - I just ordered a copy of Landing Light from http://www.alibris.com. They've other used copies, if anyone's interested.

You can also read online his translation of Rilke's Archaic Torso of Apollo from Landing Light.
There is a link from that site to another poem, The Box , which includes a video of Paterson reading the poem while plinking on his guitar.

winter

Interesting link. I piddle with the guitar a bit, and especially enjoyed the observation about a shrp sound setting off a resonant chord on a guitar.

Thanks for the posting that link, even though I'm not impressed by his reading of it *grin*

I like the bit where a passer-by actually throws a coin into his guitar case. That's the highlight for me. And for Don Paterson perhaps.

I caught Don Paterson at the Woodbury Poetry Room @ Harvard. He was excellently witty, but he's not a youngster.

For another look at his work, check out his "aphorisms" in either this or last month's Poetry. (I'm behind because I'm living on an island and pretending to be remote.)

Bob

I would like to see Paterson in America. If I had known he was here I would have gone myself. I wish I could find out his itinerary. I'm a big fan and all my time is free. I read the Schreiber review---it's just ok. I wish they would at least spell his name right. Here is the best essay I've found on Paterson. If anyone knows of any others, I for one would love to see them.
http://www.poems.com/essadonn.htm