📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Blackbirds from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
April 2026

Thanks to the publisher for the copy of this pamphlet 

 

Blackbirds are one of our most beautiful songsters. There’s nothing quite as transporting as hearing one sing from a treetop or rooftop on a summer evening – they appear to have all the time in the world:

“But the blackbird still will sing,
Making the heart of the dark wood thrill
With the notes that come from his golden bill…”

from ‘The Blackbird’s Song’ by George Walter Thornbury

These poems celebrate the heart-stopping beauty of the song, together with the perky boldness of a bird that we so often see hopping across our parks and gardens. Perhaps it’s because we’re familiar with them that blackbirds seem to have something to say about our human lives.

This richly varied selection will delight anyone who loves blackbirds and the irresistible music of their song.

Selected and introduced by Di Slaney

Illustrations by Sam Cannon

Poems by Moniza Alvi, John Clare, GillianClarke, Miriam Darlington, Phyllis Drayton, Wendy Pratt, Angela Readman, R/S Thomas, George Walter Thornberry and Humber Wolfe.

📖 My Review..

We have lots of birds visiting our garden, not just because we feed them so well all year round but also because we offer them a safe space, free of predators now that we are no longer a two cat family! I think the blackbirds are amongst my favourite, with their beautiful melodic song soaring above the trees.

This lovely anthology of poems celebrates the beauty of the humble blackbird, who we frequently see flitting about our gardens, sharing their glorious song, heralding the dawn and then wishing us good night in the serenity of twilight gloaming.

The Blackbird by John Clare 

“ The blackbird is a Bonny bird

That singer h in the wood

His song is in the evening heard

When the red cow chews her cud

His song is heard in morning loud

Upon the bright white thorn 

While the Blythe milkmaid sings as proud 

And holds the world in scorn”

There is much to enjoy in this lovely selection of poems, from the beauty of its blackbird cover and end-papers to the imaginative verses. It would be a perfect gift instead of a card for anyone who has a special interest in blackbirds or quite simply for the pleasure of reading some beautiful poems about blackbirds and appreciating the natural world.

©️JDBarton
Digital Images

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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