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| Candlestick Press September 2026 My thanks to the publisher form my copy of this pamphlet |
Twelve beautiful poems for the months of the year: poems for birthdays, for special anniversaries, poems to simply say “I’m thinking of you this month, and isn’t nature wonderful?”.
Our Almanac for 2026 starts with a sleeping world waiting for “all the coloured retinue of spring” and ends with busy sparrows teaching the poet a new way of noticing, even in midwinter. All the poems in this vivid mini-anthology capture the essence of each season, showing how marvels of nature can transport us if we stop to look:
“Miracle of the fat pigeons in the road
and of the sun rising golden
and ancient
and of the hush of the sea…”
from ‘Miracle of the Solstice’ by Wendy Pratt
When our busy human lives need more joy in the moment, these twelve inspiring poems provide a little shot of comfort and delight.
Poems by Jane Burn, David Clarke, John Drinkwater, Victoria Gatehouse, Roz Goddard, Chris Hardy, Ted Kooser, George Marion McClellan, WS Merwin, Bic Pickup, Wendy Pratt and Tim Relf.
Cover illustration by Jane Burn
🎅🏻 My Review
I have a fascination for an almanac filled with obscure facts about tide times and phases of the moon but I also enjoy a lovely poetry almanac which takes us month by month through the year. This is now the fifth almanac which has been lovingly selected by Candlestick Press and each of the twelve nature poems share something special.
Getting the anthology off to a fine start:
Austere and clad in sombre robes of grey,
With hands up folded and with silent wings,
In unimpassioned mystery the day
Passes; a lonely thrush its requiem sings”
From January Dusk by John Drinkwater (1882-1937)
My favourite time of year is spring when the hawthorn blossom blooms and showers nature’s pathways with delicately tinted confetti and yet it’s also reminiscent of an older time when Beltane celebrations heralded the start of mother nature’s fertility.
“ She’s restless and Beltane wild,
Veil torn by its circlet of spines.
Who’d have thought a blossoming
Could carry so much weight…"
From The Hawthorn Bride by Victoria Gatehouse
The twelve poems in this mini anthology have been selected to give us a sense of nature, sharing the months and seasons, bringing an awareness of the beauty of the natural world and giving us a way of escaping the reality of a time which can sometimes be challenging. With its stunningly beautiful floral cover Almanac : Twelve Poems for 2026 is a worthy addition to the publisher’s collection of Almanacs and is the perfect gift instead of a card to start the new year.
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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