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A collection of sixteen sonnets about humans who are transformed into beasts (both real and imaginary), and vice versa, A Modern Bestiary is a new interpretation of the old bestiary tradition, which has fascinated generations of readers and writers alike, from the Middle Ages through to the Modern Age.
A fierce invective against modern poetasters and bad poetry in general, Ars Poetastrica does not pretend to be a collection of precepts on good writing but rather an impassioned exhortation towards a new Humanism in poetry.
REVIEWS
Gallenzi … turns out to be a lively, witty poet with an essential seriousness of purpose.
Acumen
My one and only criticism is that it is too damned short.
Gilbert Adair
Gallenzi’s allegorical animals spark some robust epigrams. The translations are very good … the rhymes are often excellent … and puns are well conveyed across the language barrier, which has seldom seemed more porous than in this book. In the long poem too, old chestnuts are nicely grilled if not quite roasted … How odd to be reminded of Edward Said, but impressive too: a skilled and charming exercise turns out to chime with the Zeitgeist, not antiquarian at all.
PN Review
Read about the Earthworm, the Dog, the Asshawk and the rest, and you will recognise people you know, writers you know, even yourself maybe.
The Journal
Very fine poems, rather lovely edition. Good drawings too, and a nimble translation.
George Szirtes
Gallenzi … turns out to be a lively, witty poet with an essential seriousness of purpose.
Acumen
