Buzz Review: 'A very affecting collection of poems indeed.'

The first review of Windfalls is in, thanks Mab Jones and Buzz Magazine! Rather pleased to have been compared to Jean Rhys.

'The word used for its title makes this collection instantly intriguing. It can mean both fruit blown down in the wind, or a large amount of money received unexpectedly. However, the reader isn’t given a sense, here, of such lottery-like good luck. Where windfalls are specifically mentioned, they belong to other people – to those who don’t realise their abundant good fortune.

'In one poem they are “next door’s apples”; in a later poem, those same apples “are still there – / the windfalls, rotting / in garden waste bags”. Other people have their inherited trees full of fruit but, not being gifted such, Wild’s windfalls are of the everyday – of its physical intimacies, its domestic pleasures, and of simply being alive despite life’s many challenges and setbacks.

'With its series of poems about boyfriends and lovers past, against a backdrop of bars and “nightclub shadows”, Wild comes across as the poetic equivalent of Jean Rhys: wry, arch, a little world-weary but, unlike Rhys, with a sparkling glint of humour. In the book’s second half, then, Wild is married, and the poems become more about love and life as a couple. However, there are no easy conclusions here – life isn’t suddenly all sweetness and roses. Those rotting apples remain, although they no longer pose a threat – “each apple / a small bomb” – and Wild comes to a kind of acceptance – “We learn to stay still”. A very affecting collection of poems indeed.'

Comments

PHOTO BLOG: Poetry at the Clocktower

We had a lovely day of poetry outside the Poetry Bookshop in Hay today and it stayed mostly dry too! Here’s me telling the audience some things about Bert (Roberto Pastore). Thanks Sian Lile-Pastore for the photo. And the rest of the photos as promised... Imogen Davies, Richard Davies, Niall Griffiths, Nigel Jarrett and Ifor Thomas took the early spots... (thanks to Christina and Ifor for these photos...) Richard (Parthian) & crowd Niall Griffiths reading Niall Imogen Ifor Thomas reads Nigel Jarrett reads Next up we had readings from Christina Thatcher, Abigail Parry and Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch, followed by readings from Ness Owen, Mari Ellis Dunning, Jemma L. King, Tracey Rhys, Patrick Jones, Roberto Pastore and, drawing the short straw to go last, yours truly. Abigail reads Abigail again Roberto Pastore reads Ness Owen reads Everyone loves Bert Tracey Rhys reads Patrick Jones reads Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch A shot of Christina in red in the crowd Stalls at Hay Castle ...

BOOK REVIEW: 'one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Welsh writing in English'

There is a wonderful extended review essay 'Ecological Literacy' by Steven Lovatt in the latest issue of New Welsh Review exploring recent books that seek to restore natural and cultural ecologies and recognise how the cultural nature of our landscapes is preserved in language. It offers an in-depth look at This Common Uncommon by Rae Howells, and here are three of our favourite snippets: "Rae Howells’ new poetry collection, This Common Uncommon , is a fierce and loving affirmation of the local, exemplifying the sort of care-full attention to the interdependence of people, other animals and plants that will be required if anything worthwhile is to be saved from the present ruin." "Howells confirms the evidence of her first collection, The Language of Bees, that she is a highly adept poet, possessing one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Welsh writing in English." "If West Cross Common is developed for housing, nobody can now claim ignoran...

GIG ALERT: Voicebox Wrexham

Celebrate 11 years... (11 YEARS!) of Voicebox with an absolute class creative cabaret of Wrexham's Arts Scene with the infamous Voicebox Open Mic with your host Natasha Borton! This month we have a very special takeover with Parthian Books. Parthian is an independent publisher based in Cardigan, Wales. Since its foundation in 1993, Parthian has published some of the best-known works of contemporary Welsh literature. Parthian's motto is “A Carnival of Voices in Independent Publishing”. Monday 11th November at Rough Hands Tap, Wrexham Entry is £5 (£3 concessions) Doors: 7pm Open Mic 7:30 - 8:30 Susie Wild - 8:45 - 9:15 Patrick Jones - 9:15 - 9:45 Penblwydd Hapus Voicebox Headliners: Susie Wild is author of the poetry collections Windfalls and Better Houses, the short story collection The Art of Contraception listed for the Edge Hill Prize, and the novella Arrivals. Her work has featured in many publications including Poetry Wales, Ink Sweat & Tears and The Atlanta Review and...

Wildlife

Search This Blog