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A review by sauvageloup
Paper Aeroplane: Selected Poems 1989–2014 by Simon Armitage
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
[read 2022]
Enjoyed this again, though I had thought there were more poems i liked in it than there actually was
Pros:
- found a couple of new poems i liked a lot, including a glory, horses M62, a vision, causeway and nurse at a bus stop.
- still really liked the translations, they're all brilliant and i liked the sections he picked to include. should deffo read the rest of the translations sometimes.
- i noticed that the poems i do like best have some sort of word play or rhyming or rhythm, like the ones i wrote for uni. one of the translation has a lot of alliteration in too, which worked really well.
- more beautifully vivid metaphors and similes. 'a cigarette like the stanum from the cup of his hands' was one of them.
cons:
- same as last time, some just read like little fics, not poems at all, and not particularly interesting or engaging imo. preferred the more condensed, poetic and vivid ones.
overall, a great re-read and i know i'll re-read it again too. some poems in there that i'd love to learn, or at least quote from :)
[read 2019]
I don't read much poetry except for what's assigned for my course. this was a book i'd been interested in and a friend got it for me :)
pros:
- some rlly lovely poems overall - esp. the civilians, to his lost lover, before you cut loose, song of the west men, listen here, the shout, birthday, the back man, evening, sloth, the man hunt. snow, mist.
- the translations were also excellent esp. the odyssey and the green knight - pretty loose trans. but very lyrical
- great variety in form and tone, from comical, sombre, lists, prosaic, rhymed and unrhymed etc.
- Armitage has a great way with metaphors/descriptions using wonderfully unusual and very visual images (I think this is his strongest point)
- for pure value for money, the book is beautiful and there is plenty of reading material (not like some very skinny poetry collections)
cons:
- really didn't "get" some poems, thought they were just prose basically
overall, really liked it, would definitely reread my favourites
Enjoyed this again, though I had thought there were more poems i liked in it than there actually was
Pros:
- found a couple of new poems i liked a lot, including a glory, horses M62, a vision, causeway and nurse at a bus stop.
- still really liked the translations, they're all brilliant and i liked the sections he picked to include. should deffo read the rest of the translations sometimes.
- i noticed that the poems i do like best have some sort of word play or rhyming or rhythm, like the ones i wrote for uni. one of the translation has a lot of alliteration in too, which worked really well.
- more beautifully vivid metaphors and similes. 'a cigarette like the stanum from the cup of his hands' was one of them.
cons:
- same as last time, some just read like little fics, not poems at all, and not particularly interesting or engaging imo. preferred the more condensed, poetic and vivid ones.
overall, a great re-read and i know i'll re-read it again too. some poems in there that i'd love to learn, or at least quote from :)
[read 2019]
I don't read much poetry except for what's assigned for my course. this was a book i'd been interested in and a friend got it for me :)
pros:
- some rlly lovely poems overall - esp. the civilians, to his lost lover, before you cut loose, song of the west men, listen here, the shout, birthday, the back man, evening, sloth, the man hunt. snow, mist.
- the translations were also excellent esp. the odyssey and the green knight - pretty loose trans. but very lyrical
- great variety in form and tone, from comical, sombre, lists, prosaic, rhymed and unrhymed etc.
- Armitage has a great way with metaphors/descriptions using wonderfully unusual and very visual images (I think this is his strongest point)
- for pure value for money, the book is beautiful and there is plenty of reading material (not like some very skinny poetry collections)
cons:
- really didn't "get" some poems, thought they were just prose basically
overall, really liked it, would definitely reread my favourites