Another Art of Poetry and Doorstones

Michael Edwards returned to the English language for his last book of poems, At the Brasserie Lipp (2019), after years as a French-language author. He explores the nerves of memory in ten chapters, each consisting of continuously numbered sections. The book can be read as a continuous sequence, ten discrete poems, or single lyrics and epistles interspersed. Edwards' approach is Augustan, humorous, alert, and reminiscent of a series of letters and reflections spoken to us. Originality is about origins, and he finds his antecedents, restores access to belief and transcendence, and bridges the gap between At the Brasserie Lipp and this ars poetica.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 142 pages
Publication date: 29 June 2023
Publisher: Carcanet Press Ltd

After years of writing in French, Michael Edwards made a triumphant return to the English language with his latest book of poems, titled "At the Brasserie Lipp" (2019). The English language awakened a flood of memories within him, and he delved deeper into these nostalgic feelings in his book "Another Art of Poetry." This remarkable work is divided into ten chapters, each consisting of continuously numbered sections. With a total of 194 sections, the book offers multiple ways to read it: as a seamless sequence, as ten distinct poems, or as individual lyrics and epistles interspersed throughout. The approach is reminiscent of a series of letters and reflections spoken directly to us, with a touch of humor and alertness. Edwards' knowledge of his literary predecessors, such as Eliot, Williams, Pound, and David Jones, is evident in the diverse range of influences present in his work. He possesses a profound understanding of modernism and the various resources that inform the grateful poets who value our European and broader cultural traditions.

Originality, in Edwards' view, is closely linked to its roots. He asserts that everything has already been said, but we arrive at the perfect moment. Through his English re-visions of familiar landscapes in Wivenhoe, Paris, and beyond, Edwards reconnects with his antecedents and restores access to belief and transcendence. "Doorstones," an additional full collection, serves as a bridge between "At the Brasserie Lipp" and this ars poetica, further enriching the literary journey.

Dimension: 216 x 135 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800173170