Description
Troubadour is a collection of poems about Australians and Australia modelled on the work of 12th and 13th century troubadours from what is now southern France. The poems are presented in two parts: Part One is a set of 48 poems intended for private reading, Part Two is a subset of 24 poems intended for public recital together with music for violin obbligato, demonstrating the poet’s originality and versatility.
Aslanides’ work is layered with unpretentious mysticism, genuine revelation of spirit and, overall, a courageous exploration of personal vulnerability.’
—Judith Crispin on Temperment
About the author: Aslanides’ first book of poems, The Greek Connection, won him the British Commonwealth of Nations Poetry Prize for 1978 for the best first book of poetry in English published the previous year in the British Commonwealth, excluding England; he was the first Australian to win this prize. He has since produced 13 books of poetry. His fourth book of poetry, Australian Things, was awarded joint second prize in the 1988 bicentennial poetry awards for book-length collections.
Because he is Australian-born and Australian-focused and, since July 1985, a full-time professional Australian poet, he has never identified as an ‘ethnic’ poet; nor does he write ‘multicultural’ poetry. Though he feels that most, if not all of his poetry has its origin in love, the context of this affection is the celebration of the natural and built environments of Australia, and the history and imaginative genius of the people.
Artwork by: Power Thompson
