Walking home by simon armitage walking home the pennine way is not a book of poems from this famous poet but a personal account of simon armitages experience, walking one of the toughest climbs in britain. A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, he has published twelve collections of poetry, including seeing stars 2010, the unaccompanied 2017, sandetti e light vessel automatic 2019 and his acclaimed translation of sir gawain and the green knight 2007. After studying geography at portsmouth polytechnic, he worked with young offenders before gaining a postgraduate qualification in social work at manchester university. At the junior school i went to we had a very excitable science teacher and no equipment which was a bit of a bewildering combination. The title poem, kid, is written from the point of view of comic book and tv series character robin, companion of batman. Norton anthology school voice free verse runon lines. Simon armitage was born in 1963 in huddersfield, england. Simon armitage s first collection, zoom, appeared in 1989, published by bloodaxe. A couple of summers ago, the poet simon armitage set out to tackle the pennine way, penniless and. Simon armitage has walked the 256 mile pennine way as a modern troubadour, earning food and accommodation by reading poetry. And so in his new book, walking home, simon armitage, best known as a poet, but also a novelist, translator and essayist, heads for the pennine way, a rugged 256mile trail running along the.
A broadcaster and presenter, he also writes extensively for. Simon armitages poem deor is a translation from the exeter book. Simon armitage s most popular book is walking home. The challenging 256mile route is usually approached from south to north, from edale in the peak district to kirk yetholm, the other side of the scottish border. After buying a signed copy, i began reading walking home by simon. This is the opposite way that most guide books to this first of the designated national trails have been written. Simon armitage has 100 books on goodreads with 20722 ratings. Armitage charts his journey in his new book, walking home. Poet simon armitage thought it would be fun to walk the pennine way, funding.
Simon armitage introduces his book walking away youtube. Writer and poet simon armitage introduces his book walking away and reads an extract from the book. Photo by jeremy suttonhibbertgetty images simon armitage was born in west yorkshire, england in 1963. A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, he has published ten collections of poetry, including selected poems 2001, seeing stars 2010 and his acclaimed translation of sir gawain and the green knight 2007. A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, he has published twelve collections of poetry, including seeing stars 2010, the unaccompanied 2017, sandetti e light vessel automatic 2019 and his acclaimed translation of sir gawain and the green knight. This new work is an entrancing allegorical tale of grief and lost love, as the narrator is led on a dantean journey through sorrow to redemption by his vanished beloved, pearl. Jun 03, 2016 writer and poet simon armitage introduces his book walking away and reads an extract from the book. Walking home and walking away, following nearly a decade later. Little green man by simon armitage and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Simon armitages first recording for the poetry archive was made on 12th july 2005 at the audio workshop, london, while his second was made at the soundhouse, london on 28th july 2016. He earned a ba from portsmouth university in geography, and an ms in social work from manchester university, where he studied the impact of televised violence on young offenders. Towards the end of the book, this is an extract of his concluding.
His selected poems was published in 2001, followed by the universal home doctor 2002 and a new verse adaptation of homers epic, odyssey, in 2006. All these are present in simon armitages equally entertaining walking home, an account of the poets attempt on britains most gruelling trail. His previous titles include kid, book of matches, the dead sea poems, cloudcuckooland, killing time, the universal home doctor, homers odyssey, tyrannosaurus rex versus the corduroy kid, and seeing stars. He worked as a probation officer for six years before focusing on poetry. He undertook this task, a walk that stretched about 256 miles, in the summer of 2010. However, to end this post on a positive note, heres a lovely extract about. In 2015, he was elected oxford professor of poetry and in.
Simon armitage was born in marsden, west yorkshire in 1963. Simon armitage s first recording for the poetry archive was made on 12th july 2005 at the audio workshop, london, while his second was made at the soundhouse, london on 28th july 2016. Little green man by simon armitage and a great selection of related books. Simon armitage, oxford poetry professor, finds inspiration. In 2010 i walked the pennine way, and wrote a book called walking home. An interview with simon armitage simon armitage is a multiaward winning poet, playwright, and novelist. Simon armitage was born in west yorkshire and is professor of poetry at the university of sheffield. In summer 2010 simon armitage decided to walk the pennine way.
Batman is an iconic character in america, which makes the story and its characters more relatable to children. All these are present in simon armitages equally entertaining walking home, an account of the poets attempt on britains most gruelling trail, the 256mile pennine way, as he tramps it the. The free tracks you can enjoy in the poetry archive are a. As a postgraduate student at manchester university, his ma thesis concerned the effects of television violence on young offenders. Walking home by simon armitage an account of walking the.
The two volumes of poet simon armitage s account of his walks on the pennine way and south west coast path, reciting his poetry. See all books authored by simon armitage, including homers odyssey, and short and sweet. Simon armitage books list of books by author simon armitage. He wrote and presented xanadu 1992, a poem film for television, broadcast by bbc television as part of the words on film series, and his film about the american poet weldon kees was broadcast by the bbc in 1993. Simon armitages new book, the death of king arthur, is published by faber. In july 2010, the poet simon armitage, set out to walk the whole of the 256 mile way from north to south. He is a writer and composer, known for last words 2017, songbirds 2007 and drinking for england 1998. The guardian the walk is serious, but armitage knows how to have fun along the way. Simon armitages walking home is the travelogue of a penniless poet along the pennine way. Not content with walking the pennine way as a modern day troubadour, an experience recounted in his bestseller and prizewining walking home, the restless poet has followed up that journey with a walk of the same distance but through the very opposite terrain and direction far from home. An exlibrary book and may have standard library stamps andor stickers. Travels with a troubadour on the pennine way by simon armitage faber. Home 2012, 285pp is a first edition, subsequent impression with number line 4 6 8 10 9 7 5. He is a graduate of portsmouth university, where he studied geography.
Subsequent poetry books, all published by faber, include kid 1992, book of matches 1993, the dead sea poems 1995, moon country 1996, cloud cuckoo land 1997. Walking away is part of the telegraph great reads summer 2016. Simon armitage was born in west yorkshire, england in 1963. Simon armitage is professor of poetry at the university of sheffield, u. Simon armitage poems poems of simon armitage poem hunter. All these are present in simon armitages equally entertaining walking home. The two volumes of poet simon armitages account of his walks on the pennine way and south west coast path, reciting his poetry. The origins of the poet laureateship date back to the seventeenth century, when it was established as a royal office. And he used to give us these little missions they werent experiments they were more like missions. Apr 19, 20 and so in his new book, walking home, simon armitage, best known as a poet, but also a novelist, translator and essayist, heads for the pennine way, a rugged 256mile trail running along the. In light of his recent nomination for the post of professor of poetry at oxford university, i spoke to him about what he would hope to bring to the role, writing collaboratively, and creating poetic voices. The companion volume, walking away, is published in june 2015. The english poet simon armitage hikes the pennine way, giving readings en route, and chronicles his experience in the book walking home.
Not content with walking the pennine way as a modern day troubadour an experience recounted in his bestseller walking home, simon armitage has followed up that journey with a walk of the same distance but through the very opposite terrain and direction, far from home. Simon armitage was born on may 26, 1963 in huddersfield, west yorkshire, england as simon robert armitage. Poet simon armitage the modern troubadour bbc news. Armitage, 52, was elected professor of poetry at oxford university. Another slowlypaced but wonderful travel book is the fabulous account of some of britains best railway trips, on the slow train again by michael williams. The daily malicious, sorry, the daily mail alice gribbin is a teachingwriting fellow at the iowa writers workshop. In one classic walking book, travels in england carl philipp. Simon armitage was born in 1963 in the village of marsden and lives in west yorkshire. Walking home by simon armitage an account of walking. Walking home describes his extraordinary, yet ordinary, journey of human endeavour, unexpected kindnesses and terrible blisters. Simon robert armitage, cbe, frsl born 26 may 1963 is an english poet, playwright and novelist who has been poet laureate since 10 may 2019. His stage plays include mister heracles and jerusalem 2005, which was also commissioned by the west yorkshire playhouse. Armitages 2012 non fiction book walking home, an account of his troubadour journey along the pennine way, became a sunday times top ten bestseller for over a month and was shortlisted for the 2012 portico prize.
The post was created in 1708 and is britains secondmostprestigious. Simon armitage has worked extensively in film, radio and television. Its a daybyday, blowbyblow, stridebystride account of me walking across the fells and giving poetry readings to unsuspecting little communities in exchange for food and shelter. Ive copied the poem directly from the book, and so i apologise for any typos. Walking home riffs on the ancient correlation between itinerancy and storytelling, with embedded tales of varying tallness coming and going in an almost casual manner. Simon armitage, 21 august 1997 ever since the very brutal extraction of all four of my wisdom teeth, ive found myself talking with another mans mouth, so to speak, and my tongue has become a mollusc such as an oyster or clam, broken and entered, licking its wounds in its shell. Jul 06, 2012 all these are present in simon armitage s equally entertaining walking home, an account of the poets attempt on britains most gruelling trail, the 256mile pennine way, as he tramps it the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He was appointed poet laureate in 2019, succeeding carol ann duffy. He worked as a probation officer in oldham until 1994. Apr 04, 20 walking home by simon armitage walking home the pennine way is not a book of poems from this famous poet but a personal account of simon armitage s experience, walking one of the toughest climbs in britain. In walking away simon armitage swaps the moorland uplands.
He studied geography at portsmouth and psychology at manchester university, qualifying as a. The poem talks about how robin has grown up after separating from batman. The followup publication, walking away, also made the sunday times bestseller list for nonfiction. He studied geography at portsmouth and psychology at manchester university, qualifying as a social worker and working in. He is also professor of poetry at the university of leeds and succeeded geoffrey hill as oxford professor of poetry when he was elected to the fouryear parttime appointment from 20152019. Simon armitage, an english poet, decides to walk the pennine way, a 256 mile trek down the spine of britain, that starts near his home in marsden and ends in kirk yeltham, just over the scottish border. It is with great pleasure we announce the appointment of simon armitage as the new poet laureate. In july 2010, the poet simon armitage, set out to walk the whole of the 256. Simon armitages first collection, zoom, appeared in 1989, published by bloodaxe. The conventional compass bearing for that particular journey is one of south to north. He earned a ba from portsmouth university in geography, and an. Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams. Simon armitage, one of britains bestloved poets, appears at a photocall prior to an event at edinburgh international book festival, on august 24, 2014 in edinburgh, scotland.
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