London Poetry Award nomination Simon Armitage: The Guardian: "The poem throws off all vestiges of chivalry and revels instead in grinding descriptions of medieval warfare at its bloodiest."

The Guardian: “The poem throws off all vestiges of chivalry and revels instead in grinding descriptions of medieval warfare at its bloodiest. The matter-of-fact style teaches us, moreover, that unlike for Gawain, there'll be no get-out-of-jail-free card for Arthur: his death is written in the title, and the poem's conclusion is every bit as ruthless as the rest of it... Armitage found himself drawn in by "the ideas it throws up about England's tricky relationship with the continent and Catholicism, and the overarching sense of a just war taken too far. These are not untopical issues.”

The Death of King Arthur is Simon Armitage’s latest translation, and talking to the Guardian, he speaks of how he repeatedly found modern-day parallels within the book-length poem. Currently Professor of Poetry at the University of Sheffield, the poet/novelist/playwright lives in West Yorkshire, where he was also born. Last year, Armitage walked the Pennine Way (all 264 miles of it) and quite literally survived by wits; receiving money, food or a resting spot in exchange for poetry readings. He is currently penning a book on the experience. Poetry awards include The Sunday Times Author of the Year, an Ivor Novello Award, and at the turn of the century, he was named the UK’s Official Millenium Poet.

Photo Jonty Wilde