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| Candlestick Press First Published 2012 Revised May 2018 Revised March 2026 |
This revised third edition of our much-loved anthology contains poems of bereavement selected for their beauty and the sense of consolation that they offer. There are poems that question and mourn, alongside others that accept the inevitability of death and give thanks for a life well lived.
Poems old and new reflect on the transforming experience of losing someone we love. For those arranging a funeral or simply seeking the quiet company of words to help them through the long process of grieving, this varied and reflective selection is sure to offer comfort:
“I lie here in a riot of sunlight
Watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.”
from ‘Everything is Going to Be All Right’ by Derek Mahon
“I lie here in a riot of sunlight
Watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.”
from ‘Everything is Going to Be All Right’ by Derek Mahon
Selected by Di Slaney and Katharine Towers
Cover illustration by Alexandra Buckle.
My Review..
Whilst it is often difficult to choose the right words to express sadness or to offer support to someone recently bereaved, this anthology of twenty beautifully selected poems covers a whole range of emotions and offers comfort and solace in a meaningful way. There are poems from familiar poets, whose work continues to resonate, which sit very comfortably alongside verses from more more modern poets , all of which capture the mood perfectly.
The poems remind us that those we love never leave us:
Death is Smaller than I Thought by Adrian Mitchell
" My Mother and Father died some time ago
I loved them very much.
When they died my love for them
Did not vanish or fade away
It stayed just about the same ,
Only a sadder colour
And can feel their love for me,
Same as it ever was.."
These twenty sensitively chosen poems remind us what it is to be human and as we seek consolation in the beauty of words, we let the gentleness of the verses quietly wash over us. Beautifully presented, with a thoughtful cover and end-papers, In Memoriam would make the perfect gift instead of a card for anyone who is experiencing loss.
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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