The North: 48The North 48 showcases 143 poems by 82 poets. Features 'Poets I Go Back To' Simon Currie and Chris Jones 'Blind Criticism' Andrew Forster and Helen Mort discuss Taedium Vitae Reviews John Killick on Helena Nelson, Frank Ormsby, Anna Robinson, Mary MacRae Angelina Ayers on Mary Oliver, Peter Bennet, Anne Caldwell Jane Routh on Justin Quinn, John Montague, John McAuliffe Liz Cashdan on Ivor Gurney, Tom Rawling Stewart Conn on Derek Mahon Neil Roberts on

Ahmad Yamani – Two Poems

Ruth Fainlight and Dannie Abse are major figures on the poetry circuit

to flutter round the lamp

Mahmoud Darwish: On translating poetry The Place of the Universal

Michael Foley

translated by Simon Pare

and rescuer of greyhounds

Samir el-Youssef: I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti

and to critic Farouk Abdel-Kader (1938-2010)

was commissioned by Royal Mail to produce four series of stamps (now available from Post & Go machines) featuring British birds

But as well as being an agonising parable of separation and betrayal

Olga Sedakova