Half way up the remote fortress of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka is a long wall of polished plaster, with mysterious golden women painted on the rock above, who seem to be dancing in the clouds. Twenty of these frescoes have survived since the end of the fifth century. The Mirror Wall is covered with graffiti: hundreds of songs relating to these cloud nymphs, composed by nobles, merchants, travellers and Buddhist monks during the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. These songs or lyrics were sung, probably with vina, flute and drums ...
Read More
Half way up the remote fortress of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka is a long wall of polished plaster, with mysterious golden women painted on the rock above, who seem to be dancing in the clouds. Twenty of these frescoes have survived since the end of the fifth century. The Mirror Wall is covered with graffiti: hundreds of songs relating to these cloud nymphs, composed by nobles, merchants, travellers and Buddhist monks during the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. These songs or lyrics were sung, probably with vina, flute and drums, in the gallery beneath the portraits, where the words were written on the wall: love poems, satires and curses; happy, witty, ironical and sad celebrations of beautiful, erotic, festive and sometimes painful experiences. Richard Murphy's poems were inspired by the songs of the Mirror Wall. Some keep close to the intricate forms and meaning of their Old Sinhala originals. More often they are free versions, celebrating particular images and ideas, bringing in modern voices or combining several songs. The Mirror Wall was a Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation. It includes five colour plates of the frescoes and graffiti.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $12.84, very good condition, Sold by Aardvark Books Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bucknell, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1997 by Bloodaxe Books Ltd.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $20.00, like new condition, Sold by Between the Covers-Rare Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gloucester City, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Wake University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine in Very Good jacket. First edition. Octavo. Orange cloth boards. Illustrated with color plates. Fine in a very good dustwrapper with dampstain on bottom edges. Winner of the Poetry Book Society Translation Award.
Add this copy of Mirror Wall to cart. $20.50, very good condition, Sold by Halcyon Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from LONDON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1989 by Merlin Publishing.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $22.93, good condition, Sold by Anybook rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lincoln, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1989 by Bloodaxe Books Ltd.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has soft covers. In good all round condition. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 200grams, ISBN: 9781852240936.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $23.04, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Wake Forest University Press.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $24.10, good condition, Sold by Gardner's Used Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tulsa, OK, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Bloodaxe Books Ltd.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good in good dust jacket. Hardcover w/jacket. Light wear on jacket and boards. Appears to be inscribed by author on front end paper. Clean text. Tulsa's best used bookstore. Located on South Mingo Road since 1991. No-hassle return policy if not completely satisfied.
Add this copy of Mirror Wall to cart. $31.96, very good condition, Sold by Aardvark Books Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bucknell, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1989 by Merlin Publishing.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $35.43, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Wake Forest University Press.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $39.95, like new condition, Sold by Michael Patrick McCarty, Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from New Castle, CO, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Wake Forest University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Like New in Fine jacket. Size: 5x0x8; Gift inscription by and signed by author; scarce thus. Halfway up the remote fortress of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka is a long wall of polished plaster, with mysterious golden women painted on the rock above, who seem to be dancing in the clouds. Twenty of these frescoes have survived since the end of the fifth century. The Mirror Wall, " as it's called, is covered with graffiti: hundreds of songs relating to these cloud nymphs, composed by nobles, merchants, travelers and Buddhist monks during the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. These songs or lyrics were sung, probably with vina, flute and drums, in the gallery beneath the portraits, where the words were written on the wall: love poems, satires, and curses; happy, witty, ironical, and sad celebrations of beautiful, erotic, festive, and sometimes painful experiences. Richard Murphy's poems were inspired by the songs of the Mirror Wall. Some keep close to the intricate forms and meaning of their Old Sinhala originals. More often they are free versions, elaborating particular images and ideas, bringing in modern voices or combining several songs. Murphy is a member of Aosdána and of the Royal Society of Literature, he has received numerous literary awards, including the British Arts Council Award, the Marten Toonder Award, and the American Irish Foundation Literary Award.
Add this copy of The Mirror Wall to cart. $55.01, very good condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 1989 by Bloodaxe Books Ltd.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. 1989. First edition. Hardcover. Signed and inscribed by the author. Fine in fine dust wrapper. DW showing light shelfwear, remains fine. First edition copy....Signed Copy. We ship daily from our Bookshop.