Derek Mahon book New Selected Poems

[pastaparadise]

DP heard 'everything is going to be alright' recently and loved it. It's his birthday soon so i wondered re buying him the book it's in. Anyone have any idea if the other poems are similar in style? He's not really into poetry - i was quite surprised by him liking this - so only want to buy it if they're in a similar vein. Thanks

He is a lovely poet - but not an lightweight one (btw he died last month). His greatest poem is probably A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford. You could take a look on Poetry Foundation www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/derek-mahon to get a feel for him.

You never know, your dp might find he is into poetry after all :)

Thanks :)

I wouldn’t say that was in the least typical of Mahon’s poetry, to be honest — he was a dark formalist who hated free verse, and a lot of his poetry is about outsiderhood, and a dislike of modernity.

He’s brilliant, but I think @pallisers suggestion of getting a feel for DM’s work on Poetry Foundation before buying New and Selected is a good idea.

Agree with others that Everything is Going to be Alright is not typical of Mahon
I first discovered it in a book called The Poetry Pharmacy which is a lovely little anthology of poems in a similar vein to Everything is Going to be Alright