A couple of weeks ago I shared some news I’d heard on the radio, and no doubt others had heard it too or read about it elsewhere, Simon Armitage, the poet, was publishing his version of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Now Simon is not just an amazing poet who I have read, listened to and followed for many years, he is also the Poet Laureate:
The British poet laureate is an honorary position appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the prime minister. The role does not entail any specific duties, but there is an expectation that the holder will write verse for significant national occasions. The laureateship dates to 1616 when a pension was provided to Ben Jonson, but the first official laureate was John Dryden, appointed in 1668 by Charles II.
Thanks Wikipedia
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a very ancient account of a story, myth, legend, which may have some connection to real events, that has somehow survived until today.
Gilgamesh… was a hero in ancient Mesopotamian mythology and the protagonist of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem written in Akkadian during the late 2nd millennium BC. He was possibly a historical king of the Sumerian city-state of Uruk, who was posthumously deified. His rule probably would have taken place sometime in the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period, c. 2900–2350 BC, though he became a major figure in Sumerian legend during the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2112 – c. 2004 BC).
Thanks again Wikipedia
Simon has taken this ancient story of love, betrayal, loyalty and unfaithfulness, and rendered it into a modern version – which I can hardly wait to read! As I mentioned in my previous post, I can’t remember when I first came across Gilgamesh, but so loved the story that I used it for a project with a class of 11-12 year-olds in the comprehensive school where I was teaching in Oldham. I remember it as a wonderful experience and I had marvellous work from the students – stories, poems, drawings – but maybe my rose-coloured specs are firmly in place! I used a small navy-blue paperback copy of the poem, which I believe I still have, and maybe I’ll find it when I eventually get round to tidying my little writing room.
As soon I heard about the new version of my beloved story, than I rushed into town to order it. That was a couple of weeks ago, so I drifted into the bookshop last week to see if my copy had arrived. No, of course it hadn’t, it hadn’t yet been released and the friendly man behind the counter told me the publication date, which in fact I knew (so why did I go in, like a child on Christmas Eve keep checking whether Father Christmas had been?) This afternoon, as I hadn’t been out all day I thought I’d head into town and go to the bookshop again. There were a couple of other people at the counter so I wandered over to the poetry section, but no Gilgamesh. I went to the history section and looked through a couple of books, I was tempted to buy but I resisted since I haven’t yet read the ones I bought last time.
I sauntered back to the counter and had a friendly greeting from the man working there, I asked after my order again and he looked in his ledger, and yes!!! Hurrah!!! The books had arrived… but oh heck, they were still in the store room out the back and would be displayed tomorrow – which of course is the publication date.
I treated myself to a slice of blackberry and lemon sponge cake and a coffee. I will come back tomorrow. I will return!
https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571357246-gilgamesh
