Carcanet Press - Sweeping Out the Dark

Description
Author
Awards
Reviews

With Sweeping out the Dark Carcanet celebrates twenty one years of publishing Edwin Morgan's poems, prose and translations. Morgan's work, with Scottish and European perspectives, is both sophisticated and popular. As poet, essayist and translator he is well known to readers in Scotland and throughout the English-speaking world.

The work in this book, his first major volume since Collected Poems (1990) which marked his seventieth birthday, shows him to be as inventive and engaging-as engaged-as ever. The questions we ask today-where are we? where are we going?-the political changes of recent years, problems of urban violence and squalor, the re-awakening of community involvement, all find a place. The book also includes translations of Claudian, Michelangelo, Leopardi, Montale, Pushkin, Blok, Mayakovsky, Jozsef and Aigi.

Edwin Morgan (1920-2010) was born in Glasgow. He served with the RAMC in the Middle East during World War II. He became lecturer in English at the University of Glasgow, where he had studied, and retired as titular Professor in 1980. He was Glasgow's first Poet Laureate and from 2004 until ... read more

Awards won by Edwin Morgan Winner, 2000 Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry

Praise for Edwin Morgan 'Edwin Morgan's experimental and science fiction poems often imply joyful adventure, boundless optimism.'

Carol Rumens, The Guardian where 'A Little Catechism' was Poem of the Week

'distinctly and excitingly nonconformist [...] they stunningly convey the poet's love for Glasgow. The traditional structure is interjected with Scottish language and anecdotes, making it a thought-provoking read.'

Scottish Field

'A broad celebration of one of the most lively and creative writers of his time'

Mike Ferguson, Stride Magazine
'For readers new to Morgan, it forms a perfect introduction, showcasing his fearless experimentation... For those who already know Morgan's work, this selection is a welcome romp of rediscovery. It offers a reminder that he masters every form - from sonnets to strict rhyme schemes with free rhythm to the disintegrating word curtains of some of his early concrete poems - and gilds them all with the humour and humanity that infuse his own effervescent voice.... He never shrinks from the darkness but the shimmering beauty of his words somehow makes it more bearable.'

Fiona Rintoul, The Herald

'Thank God, thank whatever all-seeing quick-witted deity you like, we have Edwin Morgan to show us how to live, and keep living..."pleasure" is nowhere strong enough to convey the joyous energy of his work.'

Kathleen Jamie

'Edwin Morgan's translation of twenty-five poems into Scots, now reissued after almost half a century, finesses one difficulty by substituting another. Wi Haill Voice gives Mayakovsky a shout from the streets without making him a Dickensian exercised in dialect - Scots provides the necessary sense of estrangement.'
William Logan, The New Criterion

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Sweeping Out the Dark Edwin Morgan Categories: 20th Century, Scottish Imprint: Carcanet Poetry Publisher: Carcanet Press Available as: Description Author Awards Reviews With Sweeping out the Dark Carcanet celebrates twenty one years of publishing Edwin Morgan's poems, prose and translations. Morgan's work, with Scottish and European perspectives, is both sophisticated and popular. As poet, essayist and translator he is well known to readers in Scotland and throughout the English-speaking world. The work in this book, his first major volume since Collected Poems (1990) which marked his seventieth birthday, shows him to be as inventive and engaging-as engaged-as ever. The questions we ask today-where are we? where are we going?-the political changes of recent years, problems of urban violence and squalor, the re-awakening of community involvement, all find a place. The book also includes translations of Claudian, Michelangelo, Leopardi, Montale, Pushkin, Blok, Mayakovsky, Jozsef and Aigi. Edwin Morgan (1920-2010) was born in Glasgow. He served with the RAMC in the Middle East during World War II. He became lecturer in English at the University of Glasgow, where he had studied, and retired as titular Professor in 1980. He was Glasgow's first Poet Laureate and from 2004 until ... read more Awards won by Edwin Morgan Winner, 2000 Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry Praise for Edwin Morgan 'Edwin Morgan's experimental and science fiction poems often imply joyful adventure, boundless optimism.' *Carol Rumens, The Guardian* where 'A Little Catechism' was Poem of the Week 'distinctly and excitingly nonconformist [...] they stunningly convey the poet's love for Glasgow. The traditional structure is interjected with Scottish language and anecdotes, making it a thought-provoking read.' Scottish Field** 'A broad celebration of one of the most lively and creative writers of his time' Mike Ferguson, Stride Magazine 'For readers new to Morgan, it forms a perfect introduction, showcasing his fearless experimentation... For those who already know Morgan's work, this selection is a welcome romp of rediscovery. It offers a reminder that he masters every form - from sonnets to strict rhyme schemes with free rhythm to the disintegrating word curtains of some of his early concrete poems - and gilds them all with the humour and humanity that infuse his own effervescent voice.... He never shrinks from the darkness but the shimmering beauty of his words somehow makes it more bearable.' Fiona Rintoul, The Herald 'Thank God, thank whatever all-seeing quick-witted deity you like, we have Edwin Morgan to show us how to live, and keep living..."pleasure" is nowhere strong enough to convey the joyous energy of his work.' Kathleen Jamie 'Edwin Morgan's translation of twenty-five poems into Scots, now reissued after almost half a century, finesses one difficulty by substituting another. Wi Haill Voice gives Mayakovsky a shout from the streets without making him a Dickensian exercised in dialect - Scots provides the necessary sense of estrangement.' William Logan, The New Criterion	Share this... Quick Links Carcanet Poetry Carcanet Classics Carcanet Fiction Carcanet Film Lives and Letters PN Review Video Carcanet Celebrates 50 Years! The Carcanet Blog One Little Room: Peter McDonald read more Collected Poems: Mimi Khalvati read more Invisible Dog: Fabio Morbito, translated by Richard Gwyn read more Dante's Purgatorio: Philip Terry read more Billy 'Nibs' Buckshot: John Gallas read more Emotional Support Horse: Claudine Toutoungi read more
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