As a postgraduate student at manchester university, his ma thesis concerned the effects of television violence on young offenders. His previous titles include kid, book of matches, the dead sea poems. Dont let me sleep, wrote simon armitage in his last collection book of matches 1993. Simon armitagestatecollapsed to show the template collapsed, i. Simon armitages first recording for the poetry archive was made on 12th july 2005 at the audio workshop, london, while his second was made at the soundhouse, london on 28th july 2016. Armitage first studied at colne valley high school, linthwaite, huddersfield and went on to study geography at portsmouth polytechnic. He was a postgraduate student at manchester university where his ma thesis concerned the effects of television violence on young offenders. The poems in the middle section, becoming of age relate incidents, from other times, other lives and experiences, to a common life. To ask other readers questions about book of matches, please sign up.
Book of matches simon armitage the official website. Simon robert armitage, born 26 may 1963 is an english poet, playwright and novelist. The first part, the book of matches, is a series of sonnets. Simon armitagestateexpanded to show the template expanded, i. Simon armitage, whose the shout was a finalist for the national book critics circle award, has published ten volumes of poetry and has received numerous honors for his work. Each poem is designed to relay the urgency of a struck match, packed with discoveries, flashes of insights on family and life. He has written two novels, little green man 2001 and the white stuff 2004, as well as all points north. A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, his collections of poetry include seeing stars 2010, the unaccompanied 2017, sandettie light vessel automatic 2019 and his acclaimed translation of sir gawain and the green knight 2007. Selected poems by simon armitage, paperback barnes.
In 2015, he was elected oxford professor of poetry and in 2017 he was appointed. Simon armitage was born in 1963 in the village of marsden and lives in west yorkshire. Simon armitages book of matches 1972 words 123 help me. He has written two novels, little green man 2001 and the white stuff 2004, as well as all points north 1998, a collection of essays on northern england. Navigation home page contents forum maximize search comment mail me author. It concludes reading the banns, the third section of the book, which is an account of his own wedding. I am very bothered from book of matches by simon armitage. Book of matches 1993, the dead sea poems 1995, moon country 1996, cloud cuckoo land 1997. Barney, the narrator, is representative of a certain kind of dysfunctional male. A firework display of technique, versatility and passion. My own personal highlight was simon armitages reading of to his lost lover, below. The best poems by simon armitage selected by dr oliver tearle. Main page contents featured content current events random article donate to wikipedia wikipedia store. Book of matches by simon armitage, simon armitage and sue.
The results are painful, memorable and demand the readers respect. His previous titles include kid, book of matches, the dead sea poems, cloudcuckooland, killing time, the universal home doctor, homers odyssey, tyrannosaurus rex versus the corduroy kid, and seeing stars. Simon armitage is arguably the leading british poet of the past twenty years. The book is divided into three sections the book of matches which are sonnets, becoming of age and reading the bans. Armitage is also the author of two novels and several collections of essays. Armitages descriptive style of writing in this poem, facing north, he was dead at three oclockline 25, leads the readers think as if he is a detective. There is a very illuminating essay at the beginning. In the not dead, simon armitage works with interviews from veterans from a number of conflicts.
Simon armitages first collection, zoom, appeared in 1989, published by bloodaxe. The free tracks you can enjoy in the poetry archive are a. He is a writer and actor, known for drinking for england 1998, last words 2017 and songbirds 2007. The poems in the middle section, becoming of age relate incidents, from other times, other. Admiral mcraven addresses the university of texas at austin class of 2014 duration. As a student, i have been to a poetry day where simon armitage himself came to discuss his poetry with us. Simon armitage british poet, playwright, and novelist britannica. By 1994 armitage was able to resign his job and focus on a writing career. In 1992 he was winner of one of the first forward prizes, and a year later was the sunday times young writer of the year. Simon armitage was born in marsden, west yorkshire.
Simon armitage cbe begins the interview with an interesting admission. Book of matches is a poetry book written by simon armitage, first published in 1993 by faber. The university of texas at austin recommended for you. Like other matches in the book, this is a short poem in a conversational style. Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams. His selected poems were published by faber in 2001.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I had been an admirer of armitages work for some time, but this was the moment i really got him, in the way people speak about finally getting jazz or the blues when they least expect it, as it were without trying, out of the blue, because of one. He earned a ba from portsmouth university in geography, and an ms in social work from manchester university, where he studied the impact of televised violence on young offenders. It contains detailed studies of the poems by simon armitage in the aqa anthology, which is a set text for the aqas gcse syllabuses for english and english literature specification a, from the 2004 exam onwards. He is professor of poetry at the university of leeds and succeeded geoffrey hill as oxford professor of poetry when he was elected to the fouryear parttime appointment from 20152019. Simon armitage, british poet, playwright, and novelist whose poetry is attuned. The book people limited, salisbury house, weyside park, catteshall lane, godalming, surrey, gu7 1xe.
The not dead is a short collection of poems originally aired on a channel 4 documentary film of the same name, shown in the winter of 2007. Simon armitage was born in marsden, west yorkshire in 1963. Simon armitage was born on may 26, 1963 in huddersfield, west yorkshire, england as simon robert armitage. Simon armitage was born in west yorkshire, england in 1963. He studied geography at portsmouth and psychology at manchester university, qualifying as a social worker and working in the probation. Among his collections of poetry are kid, book of matches, the universal home doctor, tyrannosaurus rex versus the corduroy kid and seeing stars. The poems mark a comingofage of a poet who is by now established as a leading voice. The most fascinating thing that he revealed to us about this book, was the idea behind the title as a young person himself, he would often play a party game with him friends to meet new people which consisted of striking a match and holding it until it burnt to your fingers. Losing none of the exuberance which has become a hallmark of simon armitage s poetry, these poems are more personal.
Simon armitage and told by an idiot talk about their brutal new comedy exploring the life and death of thomas aikenhead published. Simon armitage aqa anthology for gcse universal teacher. His acclaimed translation of sir gawain and the green knight was. He produced a dramatised version of homers odyssey and a collection of poetry entitled tyrannosaurus rex. He is a graduate of portsmouth university, where he studied geography. On 10 may 2019 it was announced that armitage would be the next poet laureate. His work combines wry colloquialism and humour with frequent poignancy, treating such perennial subjects as death, violence, and lost love with. Simon armitage is professor of poetry at the university of sheffield, u. I suppose i was writing about the situation that a lot of midlife males find themselves in. Insult to injury simon armitages the not dead poor. Simon armitage when simon armitage burst on to the poetry scene in 1989 with his spectacular debut zoom. It is with great pleasure we announce the appointment of simon armitage as the new poet laureate. Armitage also uses the visual image other animals such as pig, horse and eel to portray the mans death.
Dropping the makeweight from uneven collections such as the dead sea. The not dead by simon armitage goodreads share book. Armitages poetry collections include book of matches 1993 and the dead sea. Simon robert armitage, cbe, frsl born 26 may 1963 is an english poet, playwright and novelist who has been poet laureate since 10 may 2019. Subsequent poetry books, all published by faber, include kid 1992, book of matches 1993, the dead sea poems 1995, moon country 1996, cloud cuckoo land 1997. The guide gives detailed readings of poems by simon armitage, with ideas for study. Signed by the author on the title page, a very nice copy of his fourth book of verse, containing three distinct sections, book of matches, with 30 sonnets, becoming of age with 14 titled poems, and reading the banns, with 12 untitled poems on the subject of marriage. His collections of poetry include kid 1992, the dead sea poems 1995, and cloudcuckooland 1997. He is also professor of poetry at the university of leeds and succeeded geoffrey hill as oxford professor of poetry when he was elected to the fouryear parttime appointment from 20152019. His poetry collections included kid 1992, book of matches 1993, the dead sea poems 1995, cloudcuckooland 1997, travelling songs and the universal home doctor both 2002, tyrannosaurus rex versus the corduroy kid 2006, seeing stars. He has written two novels, little green man 2001 and the white stuff 2004, as well as all points north 1998, simon armitage, whose the shout was a finalist for the national book critics circle award, has published ten volumes of poetry and has.
Armitage s poetry collections include book of matches 1993 and the dead sea poems 1995. This beautiful poem is on the final page of simon armitages book of matches, a series of brilliant meditations on love. And also a new book edited by john fuller on the same subject. He worked as a probation officer for six years before focusing on poetry. Cliche the poetry of simon armitage poetry magazines. Buy the not dead 1st edition by armitage, simon isbn.
280 708 471 395 552 978 387 144 1311 1523 444 1325 399 591 411 1254 1537 279 628 1067 1015 1067 1086 948 1319 1156 442 1511 914 1496 1405 650 76 343 602 698