Poetry blog

We keep you updated on the world of poetry with our news roundups.

Recent posts

Lady Jane Wilde Poems

 

Lady Jane Wilde was a 19th century, pro-Irish nationalist poet who used the pseudonym "Speranza".  Although famous in her own right one of her children was the renowned poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. She was born Jane Francesca Agnes Elgee on the 27th December 1821 in Wexford, the daughter of a lawyer.  Her ancestors were originally Italian.  As she grew up she became ...

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Poems

 

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was an aristocratic English writer who is chiefly remembered for her poetry and a large catalogue of letters.  These were of the travelogue variety, documenting her time in the Ottoman Empire while she was married to the British ambassador to Turkey.  It was unusual for a woman at that time to write in such detail about the “Muslim ...

Shrewsbury/Tree Charter – Poetry News Roundup November 27th

 

We start another week here at My Poetic Side with a news story about the headline speaker at the second annual Shrewsbury Literature Festival. We also look at the signing of the Tree Charter. Shrewsbury Festival of Literature This weekend saw the second annual Shrewsbury Festival of Literature taking place. A variety of events relating to both prose and poetry took place at various ...

Poetry Books Out Soon – Poetry News Roundup November 24th

 

Our final news round-up of the week takes a look at three new poetry books that will be available very soon; an anthology of poetry based on the works of Ovid, an English translation of the Wine poetry of Abu Nuwas and the English launch of Andri Snær Magnason’s, “Bónusljóð”. Ovid’s Poetry, as Current Now as It Was 2000 Years Ago 2017 marks ...

CBC/CantoMundo/Iraqui Poet in Exile – Poetry News Roundup November 23rd

 

Today on My Poetic Side we have two news articles on the winners of poetry prizes. We also take a look at the Iraqi poet who has been living in exile since he was sentenced to death in 1996. 2017 CBC Poetry Prize Winner The winner of the 2017 CBC poetry prize has been announced; Alessandra Naccarato has won this year’s prize for her ...

Konstantin Batyushkov Poems

 

Konstantin Batyushkov was a Russian elegiac poet and translator of the literary and artistic Romantic movement which swept Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  He also served in his country’s diplomatic corps, spending two years in Naples between 1818 and 1819, and also as a junior officer in the Russian army during the Napoleonic wars. He was born Konstantin Nikolayevich Batyushkov on ...

Konstantin Balmont Poems

 

Konstantin Balmont was a Russian poet of the Symbolist school who wrote during his country’s “Silver Age” of poetry, an era that had a similar impact on society as the “Golden Age” which had occurred a hundred years previously.  He was also a translator and literary critic. He was born Konstantin Dmitriyevich Balmont on the 15th June 1867 in a small village called Gumnishchi, which ...

Ewart Alan Mackintosh/Costa Book Awards – Poetry news Roundup November 22nd

 

Today in our poetry round up we look at the poetry of Ewart Alan Mackintosh and the man who is hoping to bring him back into the public eye. We also look at some of the nominations for the Costa Book Awards, 2017. The Relatively Unknown Scottish War Poet If it be life that waits I shall live for ever unconquered, If death I shall ...

Poetry and bins/AI/All Indian Poetry Winner – Poetry News Roundup November 21st

 

Today’s news round-up looks at the story of the bins that are upsetting poetry fans, the AI poetry writer and the winner of the All-India Poetry Prize, 2017. The Poets Memorial and the Bins This year marks 50 years since Patrick Cavanagh passed away. And with interest in his poetry on the increase his fans have recently become outraged by the actions of Dublin ...

Lauris Edmond Poems

 

Lauris Edmond, OBE was a 20th century, award winning New Zealand poet, playwright and novelist. She was born Lauris Dorothy Scott on the 2nd April 1924 in Dannevirke, Hawke’s Bay which is a small town on the north island.  When she was seven years old her home area was devastated by an earthquake which killed over two hundred people so she was lucky to ...