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 the 2000^th anniversary of ovid, or to give him his full name Publius Ovidius Naso, who was a Roman poet, who having offended the Emperor Augustus Caesar with his verse was exiled from the Imperial Court of Rome in AD 8. He remained in exile for the rest of his life and died in Tomis, a Black Sea port, which is now called Constanta in the country of Romania.

Ovid is perhaps best known for his poem Metamorphoses, however if he hadn’t sent copies to his friends we would never have known of its existence as Ovid burnt all his manuscripts on hearing that he was to be exiled.

29^th November will see the launch of a book that has taken some careful planning.

is a collection of poetry written either as new versions of Ovid’s original works, or even poems that used Ovid’s original texts as a starting point. Over 100 writers from countries all over the world came together to produce the book, bringing with them the rich and varied tapestry of their own cultures which is reflected in the poems of the anthology.

The idea for the book came from Nessa O’Mahony and she enlisted the help of fellow poet Paul Mundy, together they created the list of poets they thought might be interested in helping with the book.

Vintage Humour: The Islamic Wine Poetry of Abu Nuwas

There is another new book of poetry on the horizon and this is a little different. British journalist, Alex Rowell, has been working on his translation skills and his subject, the works of Abu Nuwas. The poet is virtually unknown in the West unlike other poets from the middle east, Omar Khayyam and Khalil Gibran. Known as the Wine Songs, Nuwas’s poems which discuss drinking and partying are not what many would expect from a classical Arabic poet.

Abu Nuwas died in 814 AD and it is the first time that these poems will have been translated into English for publication, what started out a as a hobby for Rowell will now be a work of poetry that has many people very excited.

The book is due to be launched next month.

English Translation of “Supermarket Poetry” Launched

Andri Snær Magnason, one of Iceland’s most famous poets has just released translated versions of his book “Bónusljóð”. The book which is one of the most purchased books of poetry in Iceland will now be available in English, Italian and German as well as its original Icelandic.

The book was inspired by the name of a well-known supermarket in Iceland and was first published in 1996.

As a young poet Magnason was disillusioned by his surroundings, he lives near to Skeifan which is said to be one of the ugliest places in Iceland. It didn’t offer him the same inspiration for poetry that he felt he would have had if he lived in Berlin or even New York. The poems in the book are the poets humorous look at his surroundings.