Paul Abdul Wadud Sutherland, Canadian-British poet/writer, based in the UK since 1973, has eleven collections, editing seven others. He’s founding editor of Dream Catcher, a national-international journal in its 35th issue.
In 2004 he reverted to a Sufi Muslim and he lectures on Sufi poets as well as English Literature. His book A Sufi Novice in Shaykh Efendi’s Realm, (first published in Romania in a bi-lingual book 2014; reprinted in UK 2015) describes his adventures in North Cyprus.
A New and Selected Poems was re-launched from Valley Press 2017: 384 pages of 45 years of his writing: ‘unique …an unflinching and forensic exploration of a life through language.’
Somewhat after the Chinese
Since you’ve disappeared I’m always gazing through glass wishing you’ll emerge.
Between cloudy cars along any windowed street when I pass I search.
In plush coffee bars I check thronged seaters, spin round each time the door swings.
Such words I’ll summon when you come in. You’ll blush, smile, amazed, I still care.
A collection of 44 twelve-line poems tracing the relationship of two lovers. “Amoretti” was the title of the cycle of poems by Edmund Spencer describing his courtship and marriage to Elizabeth Boyle. It was derived from the Italian tradition of the same name and published in 1595. This is Sutherland's modern response.
ISBN 978-1-907435-54-6 Published in 2018 44 poems, 54 pages Perfect bound paperback £8.00 + p&p