Showing titles in Themes & Styles

In God Speaks Through Wombs, Drew Jackson explores the first eight chapters of Luke's Gospel in a new poetic register. These are declarative poems, faithfully proclaiming the gospel story in all its liberative power. 

One of the great masterpieces of Western literature, The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars. Though the stormy god of the ocean is determined to keep him off course, Odysseus is clever and has the brilliant goddess Athena on his side.

The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem central to ancient Greek literature, narrating the siege of Troy. It explores themes of heroism, the wrath of Achilles, the nature of fate, and the quest for glory. Homer, a semi-legendary figure, is credited with composing both "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," foundational works of Western literature.

The intensely confessional work of Japan’s most famous modernist poet, considered the Japanese Rimbaud, whose poems have inspired cultlike devotion—especially among fans of the hit anime show Bungo Stray Dogs—in a brilliant new translation, the most comprehensive in English A Penguin...

This is a minute-by-minute depiction of a typical night at a legendary monthly house party known as 'The Wickedest'. Here, we meet a vivid cast of characters, young and old, all surfing a revelry steeped in camaraderie, community, desire and a spirit of jubilant defiance. A modern epic, The Wickedest explores the institution of shoobs or house parties and their vital role within working-class communities. The poems range from classical English sonnets to experimental forms and are immersively interwoven with text messages and ephemera.

Jackie Kay’s first collection as Scottish Makar is a book about the fighting spirit – one, the poet argues, that we need now more than ever. Bantam brings three generations into sharp focus – Kay’s own, her father’s, and his own father’s – to show us how the body holds its own...

The Song of Roland is acknowledged today as the first masterpiece of French vernacular literature and one of the world’s greatest epic poems. Written down around the year 1090, The Song of Roland finely crafted verses tell of the betrayal and defeat of Charlemagne’s beloved nephew at the Pass of Roncevaux in the Pyrenees and of the revenge subsequently sought on his behalf.

Almustafa has been exiled in the island city of Orphalese for twelve years when he sees his ship coming with the mist. Before he sets sail, the beloved prophet is asked by his followers to impart his truth. In these twenty-eight poetic essays, he offers profound inspiration on such matters of love and friendship, freedom and self-knowledge, joy and sorrow, pleasure, prayer, and death. In doing so, Almustafa offers a universal serenity. A Lebanese émigré to the United States, Gibran wrote The Prophet to transcend the barriers between East and West.

Peter Coyote’s first collection of poetry takes us on a whirlwind tour of an eclectic and exciting life as an actor and Zen Buddhist priest, meandering from love affairs to marriage to divorce to the '60s to psychedelic spirituality and beyond. Written over several decades, these poems sound like a collage, each piece distinct and contributing to a cohesive lyric narrative.

The terrible and long-drawn out siege of Troy, the quarrel of Achilles and Agamemnon, the interactions between Olympian Gods and humans, remains among one of the classic campaigns and the heroism and treachery of the combatants have been unmatched in song and story. It is a literal translation, but prose, and therefore so much easier to understand! This is certainly the version for those who want to know what Homer is about.

Кобзар — збірка поетичних творів геніального українського митця Тараса Григоровича Шевченка, що увібрала в собі найбільш видатні його вірші та поеми. Твори, що увійшли до складу «Кобзаря», писалися на тернистих шляхах життя Шевченка, в неволі, у мандрах та вигнанні. Книга складалася поступово, її формувала сама доля великого українського кріпака. Надзвичайно милозвучною мовою автор розповідає про велич та красу українського народу, малює картину його історії та побуту, його трагедій та негараздів, натхнень та прагнень.

Read by the author, Raymond Antrobus. ‘I became fatherless at 26 and a father at 35 and whenever I look out the living room window I feel myself become the child left alone in the house’ Centred around two lyric poems on imminent fatherhood and the birth of a child, Signs, Music is a book...

Brought to you by Penguin. A searing new collection from the Forward Prize-winning American poet about the year that the world’s gaze turned to Minneapolis – Smith's own home. Written after two years of artistic silence, during which the world came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and...

In Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart, Alice Walker examines our troubled times while also chronicling a life well lived. From poems of painful self-inquiry to celebrating the simple beauty of everyday life, Walker offers us a window into her magical, at times difficult, and liberating world of activism, love, hope and, above all, gratitude. Whether she's urging us to preserve an urban paradise or behold exploring the necessity of beauty to the spirit, Walker demonstrates that she remains a revolutionary poet and an inspiration to generations of fans....

Homer is one of the most important figures in ancient Greek literature, believed to have lived in the 8th century BC. He is most famous for his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which are considered to be the founding works of Western literature. The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, focusing on the hero Achilles, while the Odyssey recounts the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus as he attempts to return home after the war. Both works are celebrated for their vivid storytelling, complex characters, and profound exploration of human nature.

A beautiful debut collection from Jamaican poet Safiya Sinclair that draws on our colonial history and speaks powerfully to our present moment. Shortlisted for Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize 2021 A Guardian most anticipated book for 2020 'Safiya Sinclair bursts onto the shelves with...

"The Greatest Story Ever ToldDispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins-the Pandavas and the Kouravas-but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters...

This book is a treasure trove of over 150 beautiful and timeless romantic ghazals, nazms, and rubaais—all of them translated and transliterated into English. It holds the iconic verses of poets like Ghalib, Firaq, and Faiz, and showcases the poetry of popular contemporary poets. Lose yourself in the captivating melodies of Urdu poetry with Humsafar, and discover the beauty and power of love that transcends all boundaries.

Tulips and Chimneys is E. E. Cummings' first published collection of poetry, introducing listeners to his bold, lyrical voice and signature style. Blending romantic imagery with experimental form, the poems challenge traditional grammar and structure while exploring themes of love, nature, individuality, and the complexities of the human spirit. With delicate irreverence and emotional depth, Cummings reimagines what poetry can be—playful yet profound, intimate yet universal. This collection marks the beginning of a poetic legacy that would influence generations.

Vis and Ramin is one of the world's great love stories. It was the first major Persian romance, written between 1050 and 1055 in rhyming couplets. This remarkable work has now been superbly translated into heroic couplets (the closest metrical equivalent of the Persian) by the poet and scholar Dick Davis. Vis and Ramin had immense influence on later Persian poetry and is very probably also the source for the tale of Tristan and Isolde, which first appeared in Europe about a century later.