Author: Justin Clemens ISBN: 9780980517958
Imprint: Hunter
RRP: 19.95 (inc. GST)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 76
Pub. Date: 2009
Villain is a new collection by Justin Clemens. Invoking the spirit of celebrated French poet, vagabond and thief Francois Villon – some of whose ballads are translated here – these poems range from the violent and obscene to the lyrical and sublime, sometimes within a single verse.
Villain unleashes a war of forms, perfect sonnets clash with mock haiku, heroic couplets and free verse — all directed towards capturing the contemporary world. But Villain also ranges over time and place, people and events, encompassing science-fiction creatures as well as medieval criminals.
Justin Clemens revives traditional poetic forms to create a shocking and beautiful vision of modern-day life.
Praise
‘The meeting of Villon and Clemens is one of true minds, these are snaky, savage poems, charged with an electric intelligence.’ — Chloe Hooper
‘Intelligent and challenging … explores the many faces of love, desire and modernity. Clemens uses language, form and space skillfully and experimentally to comment poetically on ourselves and the world.’ — Australian Bookseller and Publisher
About the Author
Justin Clemens was born in Hong Kong but grew up on Malta and Cyprus before his family returned to Australia in the early 1980s. His books include the mock-epic poem, The Mundiad and the visionary novella Black River. He writes extensively on contemporary Australian art and poetry, as well as on contemporary European philosophy. He teaches at the University of Melbourne.
