The Grove of the Eumenides

<p><b>With <em>The Grove of the Eumenides</em>, the Lithuanian poet Tomas Venclova affirms his place as one of Europe’s greatest living poets, the heir to Akhmatova, Mandelstam and Milosz</b>. Venclova’s masterful poetry upholds a vision of the world that enables us to endure the darkness of our time through his singular insights, ethical endurance and profound compassion. With classical grace, yet manifesting a deep commitment to remain a witness to the contemporary world, <em>The Grove of the Eumenides</em> is a collection of great wisdom.</p><p>Venclova’s poetry addresses the desolate landscape of the aftermath of totalitarianism, as well as the ethical constants that allow for hope and perseverance. Bloodaxe published another selection of his poetry, <em>The Junction</em>, in 2008, bringing together new translations of his most recent work from that time as well as a selection of poems from his 1997 volume <em>Winter Dialogue</em>.</p><p>While <em>The Junction </em>covered poems written while he was still in Lithuania before his forced emigration – and poems from his first decades in the US dealing with exile – <em>The Grove of the Eumenides</em> addresses ‘later life’ issues of democracy, memory, climate, travel, ethics and aging. There is no overlap between the two editions.</p>