The Poetry Advent Calender…

Hello PL’s,

Let me introduce the Poetry Advent Calender for December 2020. Every day, a new window will be opened and for every book that comes out, there will be a mini-review and the story behind it.

Now forgive me, PL’s, I have had to omit the ones I have already reviewed – which breaks my heart as I love them madly. Sob! I just had to narrow it down somehow.

Now here’s where the fun begins. I’ve just opened the window for the 1st December and came across this stunning pamphlet, Black and Blue from Cathy Galvin.

Being a cheapskate, I bought this at a reduced price at the Poetry Book Fair at Conway Hall in February. I minded the table for The Melos Press while one of them read in the next room, and my beady eyes went straight to this – and I was blown away!

This is an amazing sequence of 15 sonnets – from a Mother’s death to a whole lifecycle of birth and human situations, which are portrayed in detail and beautifully written. Such a very poignant and intensely studied work indeed. Written in 2014.

Now, when I say mini-review, I’m really not mucking about.

Picking up this pamphlet in a random box, the gamble paid off. However, this has not always been the case…..

Okay, PL’s, tune in tomorrow, same time, same place for more advent action….