Bristol, England — Richard Craven, the Bristol poet and satirist, returns with Collected Shorter Verse Volume 1, a compendium of sonnets, odes and epigrams written over the last decade. With meticulous attention to rhyme and meter, Craven uses classical forms to address contemporary issues with a biting wit. The new book brings together poems from his earlier collection Sonnets, Mostly Bristolian and the still accumulating Odes, Epigrams & Further Sonnets, and showcases his commitment to the vitality of formal verse.
The collection opens with a substantial introduction in which Craven explains his approach to meter and rhyme and outlines the differences between Petrarchan, Shakespearean and Spenserian sonnets. He also defines key terms — from feet and scansion to the volta — and offers his own innovations in rhyme schemes. This essay sets the scene for readers unfamiliar with classical poetry and demonstrates why formal technique remains a powerful vehicle for modern expression.
Collected Shorter Verse Volume 1 is available now. For review copies, interview requests or further information, please contact Jacob@nicheclever.co.uk, publisher and editor of the volume.
About the Author
Former academic philosopher Richard Craven’s prize-winning verse has appeared in the Society of Classical Poets, the Sentinel Literary Quarterly, the French Literary Review and other journals. He lives in Bristol and continues to explore the possibilities of formal verse in the twenty-first century.