POET LAUREATE

Short and Sweet, edited by Simon Armitage, in a new decorative edition of this classic countdown of succinct verse introduced by one of Britain's foremost contemporary poets.

Short and Sweet is an inspiring anthology arranged to show how the short poem, defined here as no longer than thirteen lines - and sometimes a lot shorter than that - can tell a story, present a complex argument, and be packed with as much passion, wisdom and music as any more extended piece of writing. In his witty and instructive introduction, Simon Armitage, pace-setting poet of his generation, encourages us to consider how poets over five centuries have used brevity.