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A collection of over 100 poems chosen by the judges of the 1995 Forward Prizes for Poetry. Published to coincide with the presentation of this year's prizes on 12 October. Includes a foreword by Ann Duffy. ... Read more

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What can a little girl do in the jungle? Play snap with a crocodile? Join-the-dots on a leopard's spots? Pin-the-tail on an elephant? Or just pick up a snake and skip all the way home! With its irresistible rhyme and jungly illustrations, this is a joyful, anarchic picture book from the author and illustrator of "Queen Munch and Queen Nibble". ... Read more

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A pamphlet of humorous and occasional poems. ... Read more

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There's something incredibly moving, and electrifying, to read a poem from the "Chinese Book of Odes", written around 500 B.C, and to feel both our distance from and our closeness to the past, and the moon itself: I climbed the hill just as the new moon showed, I saw him coming on the southern road. My heart lays down its load. In collecting together poems such as these - poems that span continents and centuries - "To The Moon" shows what it is to be human; to love, to lose, to dream and to hope. The poems it contains give us a real and profound sense of our time on this planet, and the pleasures they offer are - like space itself - infinite. ... Read more

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As with her later collections, "The Other Country" takes its readers on a journey that is both familiar yet surreal. Escorting us to 'the other country' - that is, those places that we otherwise visit only in our memories or our minds - it blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, and as such, can be both playful and provocative. It is also, however, deeply intelligent, honest and thoughtful, with a deftness of tone and touch, and an emotional yet unsentimental openness that makes this one of Carol Ann Duffy's most vivid and remarkable collections to date. 'Urgent, and packed with future classics, "The Other Country" is a book that proclaims that poetry is alive' - Peter Forbes, "Guardian". 'Her perfect pitch and subtle sense of rhythm tap the roots of memory and consciousness to profound effect' - Dennis O'Driscoll, "Poetry Review". ... Read more

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If the post of Poet Laureate was allocated on the basis of popularity, Carol Ann Duffy would have been the first woman to hold this prestigious post. Like Philip Larkin in his day, Duffy is both a poet respected by many academics and teachers, and widely read and enjoyed by children and adult readers of poetry. This is the first full-length collection of essays on the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy, approaching and exploring her work from a variety of literary theoretical perspectives, including feminism, masculinity, national identity, and post-structuralism. This lively anthology situates Duffy's poems in relation to current debates about the state, value and social relevance of contemporary British poetry.
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Take Note for Exam Success! York Notes offer an exciting approach to English literature. This market leading series fully reflects student needs. They are packed with summaries, commentaries, exam advice, margin and textual features to offer a wider context to the text and encourage a critical analysis. York Notes, The Ultimate Literature Guides. ... Read more

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With her husband, Ebenezer, now "doornail dead," the coldest Christmas Eve on record finds Mrs. Scrooge outside the supermarket, protesting consumerism and waste. "Spoilsport!" shout the passersby as they load up their shopping carts with Christmas goodies. Just as Ebenezer did, Mrs. Scrooge keeps to her frugal ways...but in the present economy, with loads of meaningless material goods bought on credit, maybe Mrs. Scrooge has the right idea.

That night, alone in her bed with Catchit the cat beside her, Mrs. Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. As each in succession takes her by the hand and sweeps through the scenes of her life, Mrs. Scrooge learns not only what the "Christmas Spirit" really means, but the nature of the real gifts we give and receive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

wonderful christmas tale
I think the first reviewer missed the point, big-time. Mrs. Scrooge is trying to live a life that's less about stuff and more about being a socially responsible person. Through her inspiring actions and strong desire to bring awareness to the world, Mrs. Scrooge is the one who understands the true meaning of Christmas. Highly recommend -- although one page in particular has one tiny sentence that isn't really for kids -- but if an adult is reading you can simply skip over. Still very worth it! Enjoy ...

Pacific Book Review, December 12, 2009
Reviewed by:Nicole Sorkin, Pacific Book Review
Title:Mrs. Scrooge:A Christmas Poem

"Mrs. Scrooge:A Christmas Poem" is about a tight fisted bitter and selfish old lady in the 19th century London.Her husband Ebenezer is now "dead".She despises all that brings joy and comfort, has a plethora of adaptations but is best in it's original.Mrs. Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts who show her the evil of her ways and its consequences.This book is written in lively, intelligent, penetrating and witty prose.

Certainly there is the very strong theme, about social injustice and poverty, which we read in such works as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House and Hard Times.It is also a ghost story with a beautiful blend of poetry which captures the Christmas spirit.Anyone interested in a simple and short read at Christmas time would do well to treat themselves to this delightful book. This was great fun to read and there are some very good points presented by the three Spirits that just about any of us - not just Scrooge - might be able to infuse into our lives at the Christmas time of year.

Essentially the Christmas poem revived the spirit and message of Christmas and contains a powerful social message about those members of the wealthier classes who shun responsibility for the less fortunate people in their country.

This is a very powerful poem, charming and engaging.I like how it gives a message of appreciation to the simple things in life and to not take everything for granted. ... Read more

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It's the night before Christmas and a young girl creeps like a mouse down the stairs, determined to find out for certain whether Santa is real. But she falls asleep within seconds ...Soon, Santa and his reindeer land on her roof-top and when he bursts out of her fireplace she is woken up to a room filled with magic. As she watches him fly off into the night, she knows that she will never forget this sight because, at Christmas, the best gift of all is belief. Carol Ann Duffy's twenty-first-century reworking of the Victorian Christmas classic is filled with her characteristic warmth, wit and imagination and, illustrated by the sophisticated, romantic and truly original Rob Ryan, it will be the perfect gift this Christmas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Slightly disappointed
I give this poem 3 stars partly because I had such high expectations, I love re-written classic poems and this one didn't quite make it. There are parts where the flow deviates from the original "A night before Christmas" by Clement Moore, so readers who are reading along to the tune of the original will feel a slight jarring. Secondly the themes used are scraping the barrel a little - it mentions homeless people in the snow and smoking security guards (not exactly what you want to read to your child on the night before Christmas). However it is a good poem and the placement of text on each page matches well with the illustrations, for example on one page it flows in looping curves along the ski tracks of a rabbit. Perhaps a book for the poetry loving child or the lover of modernized classics. ... Read more

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Speaking from the Margins: The Voice of the Other in the Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay studies Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay as poets who identify and represent some key forms of otherness may take in the British society of the 1980s and the 1990s. Indeed, although Duffy s poetry is political and concerned with the British society of the 1980s and the 1990s, particularly with the condition of the underprivileged and people pushed to the margins of society as a result of Thatcherite policies, criticism of her poetry is more concerned with her feminist representation of gender in her work. Thus, it is important that her poetry of the 1980s and the 1990s is recognised as a poetry of the other as Duffy in this poetry gives specifically a panorama of Thatcherite Britain through the voice of the other . Similarly, this thesis analyses Jackie Kay s poetry as a poetry which is critical not only of Britain but also is particularly concerned with the condition of the racial and the sexual other in the 1980s and the 1990s Britain. Although The Adoption Papers has often been discussed and analysed mostly by focusing on the issues of identity and adoption, Severe Gale 8 , the sequel to The Adoption Papers , Other Lovers and Off Colour have not been the focus of much academic study from the aspect of the voice given to the racial and the sexual other. This research monograph studies Jackie Kay and Carol Ann Duffy as poets representing the voice of the other in the 1980s and the 1990s British society because there is a considerable lack of criticism on this particular aspect of their poetry. The works of these two poets are part of contemporary British poetry in which as Kennedy puts it the heterogeneity of the ex-centric , the marginal and the peripheral is raided in order to revitalise and refurbish the homogeneity of the centre. Diversity is used to underwrite a new uniformity ( Mapping Value ).IntroductionOverview of the 1980s and the 1990s poetry scene in the United Kingdom given to serve as a background framework for the poetry of the two poets under study. Part I: The Voice of the Other in the Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy After a brief introduction to the social and economic background of contemporary British society and its impact on the poetry of the 1980s and the 1990s, the voice of the other in selected poems of Carol Ann Duffy from her poetry collections Standing Female Nude (1985), Selling Manhattan (1987), The Other Country (1990) and Mean Time (1993) will be studied in Chapter I. Part II: The Voice of the Other in the Poetry of Jackie Kay The poetry of Jackie Kay from The Adoption Papers (1991), Other Lovers (1993) and Off Colour (1999) are studied closely with respect to the racial and sexual other she represents concerning the voice of the other in society. ConclusionThe study of the relevantly selected poetry of Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay shows that Duffy, through her use of the dramatic monologue, and Kay, by using her own experiences present the voice of the other in their poetry. Duffy gives voice to the outcasts in the society such as the criminal, the mentally ill, the rejected, the silenced, the marginalized, the unemployed and the immigrant, and Kay herself already an other as a black girl adopted and raised by a Scottish family deals with racial issues, racial and sexual otherness in contemporary Britain. Both Duffy and Kay have their poetry represent the contemporary Britain through the experience and voice of the other . Market: Modern British Poetry; Feminist Poets(UK), Cultural Studies, Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy, Poetry of Jackie Kay, the 'Other' [the marginal,the peripheral]in British Poetry, Modern Scots Poetry(Kay)Release Date: 06/01/2010 ... Read more

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Writers and readers have long been inspired by the haunting wisdom and sheer imaginative power to be found in the fairy tales of the immortal Brothers Grimm. The editors have collected more than a hundred poems inspired by Grimm tales and written by our finest living poets. A brilliant and informative anthology, a teachable text.

Jeanne Marie Beaumont first book of poetry, Placebo Effects, was selected by William Matthews for the National Poetry Series in 1997. She teaches at Rutgers University. Claudia Carlson works at Oxford University Press in New York. Her poems have appeared in Heliotrope, Coracle, Space and Time, Fantastic Stories and NYCBigCityLit.comm

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Don't Go Into the Woods Without It
THE POETS GRIMM is an essential addition to the collection of anyone who grew up with fairy tales - that is, everyone in America who ever opened a storybook that began "Once upon a time. . ." or watched a Disney movie that opened with a princess tortured by her evil stepmother. Here are the stories from the Grimm brothers collections that terrified and delighted us as children, now revisited with adult distance, wisdom, and humor.Ably edited by Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, THE POETS GRIMM embraces the breadth of poetry in English in the 20th century, from our most recent poet laureate, Louise Glück, to writers like Terri Windling and Jane Yolen, best known for their work in contemporary fantasy and science fiction.Anne Sexton's important poem, "Twelve Dancing Princesses," from her groundbreaking collection TRANSFORMATIONS, is included, as is an intensely moving poem by Amy Lowell from 1912, which strikes a surprisingly contemporary note.

A deep sympathy for the much maligned usual suspects, wolves and witches, underlies the entire volume, and frankly, if I were Prince Charming, I'd have a call in to my lawyer about a possible libel suit.Perhaps most American of all the Grimm interpretations found here is Tim Siebles' "What Bugs Bunny said to Red Riding Hood," which alone is worth the price of the entire collection.

Reading the poems in this collection bathes the old tales in a new and revelatory light;most telling of all perhaps are the poems which offer new versions of the detailed and mysterious marching orders given to every fairy tale hero or heroine who set off, willingly or not, on a quest. Neil Gaiman's "Instructions," in this vein, makes wonderful new sense of these ever-puzzling rules. Through these poems we see our own childhoods recast, and the clamor of impossibly conflicting childhood directives we all received invoked and examined.

The Poets Grimm offers a wonderful snapshot of poetry of the last half of the last century, taken through an enchanted lens, and I highly recommend it to anyone who ever felt a little cheated by the words, "And they lived happily ever after."

Grimms in Verse
While this collection might appear gimmicky to some, a quick persusal of the table of contents will show that many respected poets have used fairy tale motifs in their work.Beaumont and Carlson have gathered numerous poems from a wide range of poets that reflect the enduring themes and characters we inherited through the work of the Brothers Grimm.The usual suspects, such as Anne Sexton, are here but so are some lesser known poets.The anthology is strong and represents many well-known fairy tales along with a few that are lesser known by the general public.The book is recommended for libraries and classrooms in which poetry and/or fairy tales are taught. It also makes great armchair reading for anyone interested in new interpretations of familiar stories. ... Read more

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Word count: 2436. ... Read more

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With readable, richly varied contributions from women poets both famous and unknown, both young and old, both English-speaking and in-translation, I Wouldn't Thank You for a Valentine: Poems for Young Feminists is a timely, unique, and exceptionally inclusive anthology. Edited by Carol Ann Duffy, herself a British feminist poet of much renown, this collection of insights and truths will appeal equally to poetry buffs and poetry novices, be they students or general readers.
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Customer Reviews (3)

Seems Great for Sparking Teen Dialogue
Duffy's collection of poetry is a varied one, with poems ranging from light and whimsical to thought-provoking or painful.Apparently meant for teenage girls, although many of the poems are adult in complexity, it seems a good collection from which a teacher could spark teen dialgue on a variety of important issues.Themes include race, gender, sex, ethnicity, adolescence, travel, animal rights, handicaps, et.al., not overtly didactic in nature.The poems are written in simple language, but the depth of meaning and the wisdom of experience call for some adult guidance in interpretation for some poems (and lend them themselves to being equally enjoyed by older "girls").

A few standouts: Satyamurti's "Disabled Swimmer's Night," Rawnsley's "Good Girls," Fanthorpe's "Women Laughing," and Duffy's "Lovesick."

Recommended for teachers of teens, as poetry teens will enjoy, or as discussion starters on many important issues. Also enjoyable to women of all ages who enjoy women's poetry.

Moving and deep!
In this collection of about 90 poems, Duffy explores many women issues such as race, status, sex, religion, politics, identity, equality.growing up, challenging authority, etc. The anthology includes well-known poets, such as Nikki Giovanni, Sharon Olds, and Mary Oliver, as well as several new voices.
These verses from the poem "Valentine" make one think:

"Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.

Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife."

Joyce Akesson, author of Love's Thrilling Dimensions

great peoms forteens
The peoms were very moving to those who understand peoms very well. for the self confidence people the poem "Phenomenal Woman" is a great poem. others like "Anno Wrek Sick" and "Don't Ever slap me again, are just some of my favorites. I would reccomend this book to girls 11 and up ... Read more

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This second volume of dramatizations of tales by the Brothers Grimm includes "Little Red Riding Hood", "Snow White" and "Rumpelstiltskin". ... Read more

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Grimm Tales by Carol Ann Duffy, Tim Supple
With energy and imagination, Duffy and Supple have adapted and dramatized the tales of the Brothers Grimm with generous energy for audiences young and old. The Collected Grimm Tales cover everything from the more obscure Riddling Tale to the well-loved Rumpelstiltskin and provide a wealth of stimulating opportunities for performers and academics alike. Duffy and Supple take you on a journey with the brothers tales into the bright, warped world of a child's imagination. A definate must read. ... Read more

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`Time's Tidings' is a rich and varied collection of poems on the theme of time. Edited and introduced by the author of the award-winning `Mean Time', it is published from Greenwich, the heart of Britain's millennium celebrations. Carol Ann Duffy has chosen poems by fifty contemporary poets - 25 men and 25 women, from all parts of the UK and Ireland - representing a cross-section of the liveliest poetry now being written. In addition, each of these poets has chosen another poem from the heritage of poetry in English. Thus the anthology travels through time and place as it reflects the meaning of time in our lives. ... Read more

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A complete teacher resource on the poet laureate. Extensively researched, photocopiable material that can be used as the basis of delivering lessons, for student research and preparation, for follow-up homework, or as cover work in the case of teacher absence. Includes a free CD with the text of the pack. ... Read more

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Beautiful, but not for small children
This story and its illustrations are beautiful, and are compelling to my six-year-old daughter.I'm glad we didn't get it for her earlier, though, because it's a bit scary.When the happy endings are lost, all the fairy tales endings go haywire -- e.g., the wolf devours Red Riding Hood and Snow White perishes permanently.When Jub prevails, the wicked witch is consumed horribly by flames as Jub watches helplessly. ... Read more

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The story of the birth of Jesus is a remarkable one on many levelswhether we see it as an account of the divine made human or simply as a tale of human endeavor. These carols celebrate a child's birth in exceptional circumstances, and what that child was to become: a man who loved his fellow humans and who lived by a humble, selfless creed, championing the marginalized in a society in which life was fraught with political tensions. These carols are for everybody: for the believer and non-believer, for people of various faiths, and simply for the curious.

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 treble recorders, oboe, clarinet (B flat), bass clarinet, percussion, harp, piano, and strings. ... Read more