Shearsman Books

Paperback, 244pp, 9x6ins, £12.95 / $21
ISBN 9781848610538

This volume supersedes the author's Selected Poems, The Purpose of the Gift (Shearsman Books, 2004), which mis being withdrawn from the catalogue as this new volume appears. Michael Smith is the author of seven previous collections, only two of which appeared in the UK, and a alrge number of translation, mainly from Spanish. Born in Dublin in 1942, he founded the seminal New Writers' Press and co-founded the magazine The Lace Curtain with Trevor Joyce. Although best-known for his translations, his original work should be recognised for its own special qualities.

Review of The Purpose of the Gift:

"Several of the grief poems which freight the second half of The Purpose of the Gift are dated and located in southern Spain in 1995. Among these is one of two remarkable contemplations of St John of the Cross, 'Brightness'. In the other, 'On Reading San Juan de la Cruz', 'Darkness is necessary . . . / The ray of darkness/ precedes the bright light . . . / The empty white page/ without perplexity/ absent of desire/ Perfection'. But Smith's poems, too, are achieved resolutions. If this is, after all, 'the purpose of the gift', these two books fulfil it with clarity, immaculate technical control – and great beauty." (Fiona Sampson, The Irish Times)

UK trade orders via Bertrams Books or Gardners Books.
US trade orders via Ingrams or Baker & Taylor.

Please support your local bookshop by ordering Shearsman titles from them. If you prefer to order online, use the following links:

Order from the Shearsman online store

Order from amazon.co.uk

Order from The Book Depository (UK)

Order from The Book Depository (USA)

Order from amazon.com

Order from Barnes and Noble.com (USA)