The Purpose of the Gift: Selected Poems
Irish poet, translator and editor Michael Smith is based in Dublin and this volume represents his first British career retrospective. The book is an overview of his career as a poet to date - encompassing six previous Irish collections, only one of which appeared in Britain, where he is perhaps better known as a translator of Spanish baroque poetry. He founded New Writers' Press in Dublin in 1967, an enterprise which was responsible for the publication of a number of neglected Irish poets, as well as several important younger writers. He was also co-founder and editor of the literary magazine The Lace Curtain.