Ken Smith (1938-2003) was a major voice in world poetry, his work and example inspiring a whole generation of younger British poets. He collected his poetry from four decades in two volumes, The Poet Reclining: Selected Poems 1962-1980 (Bloodaxe Books, 1982) and Shed: Poems 1980-2001 (Bloodaxe Books, 2002).
You Again includes all his last poems as well as other uncollected work, along with tributes from other poets, photographs, a biographical portrait and interviews covering the whole range of his life and work.
Ken Smith’s poetry shifted territory with time, from rural Yorkshire, America and London to the war-ravaged Balkans and Eastern Europe (before and after Communism). His early books span a transition from a preoccupation with land and myth to his later engagement with urban Britain and the politics of radical disaffection.
‘Ken Smith was a great poet… His last retrospective collection, Shed, confirmed the immense power of his poetry’ – Jon Glover, Guardian
'Smith's writing exists in permanent disagreement with English fashion. A huge cast of overheard characters, wanderers, losers and remembrancers passes through his writing, bound by a common sense of loss and endurance' - Sean O'Brien, Sunday Times.
‘His poems are squeezed out from under the unrelenting pressures of history, politics and the natural elements… some of his poems read like translations from war-ravaged Eastern Europe’ – Charles Boyle, London Magazine.
'Ken Smith brought an original and memorable voice to poetry in Britain. He spent his writing life not so much swimming against the tide as ignoring the stream’s existence… He was one of those by whom the language lives’ – Sean O’Brien, Independent
Ken Smith in Berlin: five poems
Ken Smith was working in Berlin when the Wall came down, writing a book about East and West Berlin: this turned into Berlin: Coming in from the Cold (1990). He also took part in a series of readings and workshops in Berlin in 1989 and 1990 based mainly at the Free University of Berlin and organised John Hartley Williams for the British Council in partnership with Bloodaxe Books. This video shows excerpts from his conversations with John Hartley Williams and includes his readings of five poems: ‘The pity’, ‘Being the third song of Urias’, ‘My father fading out’, ‘Hawkwood’ (two sections) and ‘Katya’s message’, from The Poet Reclining and Shed.
Ken Smith reads 'Three docklands fragments'
This extract from Ivor Bowen's film of Ken Smith shows him reading Three docklands fragments from Shed (Bloodaxe Books, 2002). Ivor Bowen's film is a "bonus track" included in the DVD-book In Person: 30 Poets.
Ken Smith: 'Eli's poem'
Ken Smith reads his poem 'Eli's poem' in settings on the North-East coast (at Tynemouth and Cullercoats). This poem is from The Poet Reclining (Bloodaxe Books, 1982). Made in 1991, the film is from the Wordworks series of short poem films made by Tyne Tees Television with Bloodaxe Books, first shown in May-June 1992, produced by Mark Lavender and directed by Rob Cowley.
