Poet to Poet: Jonathan Swift

by Jonathan Swift Derek Mahon

Genres: Poetry

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Liam Guilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faber's poet to poet series, in which a contemporary poet selects work of another poet from the past, is an excellent way of introducing or focussing attention on a poet's work, especially when the poet in quesiton has left behind a body of work that leaves the newcomer wondering where to start.

Some of Faber's choices are predictable: Heaney on Wordsworth, some are inspired and eye opening, like Hugo Williams on Sir John Betjeman, (some I can't bring myself to open, like Hughes on Plath) but the introductions are usually worth the price of admission and the selection provides a starting point, or a way of reassessing what you thought you knew.

Mahon's intro to Swift is very good. He gives space to both Swift's critics, detractors, and supporters, while pointing out what might make him worth rereading. The selection is broad enough to give the reader an idea of what the man was about and the incentive to follow it up by reading more.

I've just read Swift's collected poems, or thought I had, but I don't remember 'Cadenus and Vanessa" and will now have to go and read the whole thing.