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| Candlestick Press April 2024 My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this poetry pamphlet |
Butterflies must be the most beautiful of all insects. They are with us while the warm weather lasts, and seeing a Brimstone in a garden early in the year is one of the most delightful heralds of spring’s arrival.
The vividness and frailty of butterflies as they flicker across our summer meadows are why they seem to embody a sense of transience – and may also be why they are so popular with poets. For Judith Wright a butterfly’s short life is all about love:
“Lifted by air and dream
they rose and circled into heaven’s slipstream
to seek each other over fields of blue.”
from ‘Wings’ by Judith Wright
This glorious selection celebrates butterflies from all over the world – from a Swallowtail in the English Fens to a Spotted Jezebel in Australia – and reminds us to look closely at their dazzling beauty while we can.
Poems by Nandi Chinna, John Clare, WH Davies, Emily Dickinson, Robert Graves, Matthew Hollis, John Kinsella, Grace Nichols, Giles Watson and Judith Wright.
Cover illustration by Carry Akroyd.
📖 My Review ..
There's nothing more magical than seeing a butterfly appear on a warm summer's afternoon and as it gently flits from flower to flower there is a visible gentleness which belies its strength. However, some of our native British butterflies are in decline, environmental changes and loss of habitat means that since the 1970s over 80% of our native butterflies have declined, which is a tragic loss. This collection of ten poems celebrates these beautiful insects and reminds us just how precious they are to our global eco system.
Emily Dickinson's From Cocoon forth a Butterfly gets the collection off to a wonderful start:
" From Cocoon forth a Butterfly
As Lady from her Door
Emerged - a Summer Afternoon
Repairing Everywhere "
I'm always excited when I spot a butterfly I recognise and Speckled Wood by Giles Watson shares the magic of this delicate insect:
"Speckled Woods get me every time
with that sudden flash of twenty-four carat
gold, inlaid with sepia, perching on a leaf "
To an early butterfly from The Village Minstrel by John Clare reminds of our long fascination with these exquisite creatures:
That gaily seeks about the opening flower
& opes & shuts thy gaudy spangld wing
Upon its bosom in the sunny hour "
These stunning little creatures, who add such a touch of magic to a warm afternoon, are justifiably celebrated in this collection of ten wonderful poems. The colourful cover, with its beautiful illustrations of Painted Ladies, Peacocks, Holly Blues, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, make this poetry pamphlet something quite special. A perfect gift instead of a card for anyone who loves the simple beauty of butterflies and the natural world.
About the Publisher
Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.
Twitter/X @poetrycandle
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