Travelling Songs

Simon Armitage

Nov 2010 · Faber & Faber

About this ebook

Simon Armitage once observed that there are two types of poems - those that try to work out the chemical equation for language, and those that tell stories and sings songs. These are very much the latter, a handful of lyrics and verses written over number of years, many being commissioned to celebrate or commemorate public events, others being part of larger projects in theatre, radio and television. Erotic, witty, flippant, poignant and always melodic, Travelling Songs is a kind of busker's handbook, the kind of work that might win a poet a decent meal when singing for his supper. Or as the author comments, 'Describing yourself as a poet is often seen as a challenge or even an alibi. In those circumstances, it's worth having a few tunes up your sleeve to prove it.'

About the author

Simon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire in 1963. 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. Among his collections of poetry are Kid, Book of Matches, The Universal Home Doctor, Tyrannosaurus Rex versus The Corduroy Kid and Seeing Stars. His acclaimed translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was published in 2007.