Selected Poems

This selection of Fowles's poetic work includes two major sequences dating from the early part of his career in the 1950s and 60s, both of which ('Apollo' and 'Mycenae') draw on his time living in Greece and his interest in Greek mythology. The other poems included, largely unpublished previously and roughly in chronological order, are very varied in content, form and technique, and culminate in a sequence written in hospital towards the end of his life. Together, these poems constitute a powerful body of work reflecting on love, nature, suffering and desire. Fowles was always interested in verse translation and adaptation, and the book concludes with a fascinating sample of this side of his literary achievement. This section includes his translations of Martial, Catullus, Li Po and the eighth-century Man'yoshu, Japan's oldest poetry compilation.