Simon Mundy's new collection of poems is inspired by the landscapes of
Powys, Italy, and a number of islands all over the world - Grenada,
Jamaica, Shetland. And as the title suggests, More for Helen of Troy
is concerned with desire: for the ideal of a beautiful woman in
'Mermaid'; for the vision of a pristine country and seaside, as in
'Radnor Songs' and 'Aspects of Sea'.
As in the Trojan title sequence, these poems are both poignantly lyrical
in depicting our pursuit of lofty ideals, and keenly satirical of life's
inevitable disappointments. Helen proves to be an imago for women from
all times: pursued, desired, lonely, restless, she haunts the poet's
imagination throughout.
"The poems are always entertaining for their formal play and their
lively lingo. Mundy can be cheeky, he can be rueful but he is always
passionate."
Daljit Nagra
Simon Mundy has broadcast for over thirty years on BBC Radio 3 and
4, and was the founder of the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage
(now Culture Action Europe). He has written three poetry collections,
three novels (two as James Eno) - most recently Silent Movements
(2008) - and several biographies of classical musicians, including
Elgar, Purcell and Tchaikovsky. He has read his work all over the world,
from the Hay Festival to Brisbane. He lives in the border hills of
Wales.
