Crowvus Book Blog

One from my #Wordsworth250 celebrations  Next Thursday (1st October) is National Poetry Day. Many years ago, I offered to illustrate favourite poems for anyone who wanted me to. I had a few people who took me up on this. I'm not sure how I managed to do it in the space of a week, but I was young then! This one was a fun commission! Poetry comes in all shapes and sizes. From tiny lines to grand epics. I have heard so many people telling me that they don't like poetry, but what they mean is that they don't like all  poetry. There is always a poem which resonates with everyone whether because it carries nostalgia, inspiration, or wonder . It is fine not to like all poetry, in fact: it is right not to. We would never expect people to like all music, all films, all novels, or all artwork. You can appreciate the artistry within them without wanting to hear/see/read them!! It will come as no surprise to anyone that I love Romantic poetry. In both Day's Dying Glory and Beneath...

 During November, the Scottish reading and writing community come together for Book Week Scotland . This week-long, themed event is designed to break barriers and promote a love of books and reading for all. This year's theme is Hope , and I encourage all of you - whether you are in Scotland or not - to keep up with and enjoy the events which are happening (quite a few are online). This year, Book Week Scotland is 18th-24th November. So, in the spirit of community and hope, here is a little poem I wrote about a mother rocking her child to sleep. It embodies the fears and hopes of the historical communities of Orkney, where I grew up, and Caithness, where I live now. In a time before mobile phones or satellite weather forecasting, hope  was the only connection those on land had with their loved ones on the sea. The Fishwife’s Lullaby Hush… Father’s boat will soon be mooring. You shall see him in the morning When tide returns him home. Sleep… Time for thoughts and dreams of glor...

 What do you say when people ask you if you like poetry? It's one of those questions where a single word answer just does not work for most people. Like all artforms - writing included - poetry is hugely subjective. But, when you do  find a poem you love, it can be one of the most inspiring things of all. Blake's original plate for The Little Black Boy My family saga draws constantly from poetry. I love the poetry of the Romantics - Byron in particular - and their poetry weaves in and out of the books, right down to the titles:  Day's Dying Glory  (from Byron's  Lachin y Gair ); and Beneath Black Clouds and White  (from Blake's The Little Black Boy ). I'm someone whose writing style is rather sumptuous (or should that be: overindulgent?!), and these flowery poems of depth and flow serve to add to my inspiration and also find a common ground between me and my characters, for whom they are contemporaneous. The way we interact with words can say a great deal a...

 Continuing from last week's post which explored Artwork as Inspiration (the starting point for Proof of the Old Faith ) I'm sticking with Norse culture. Here is The Weave of the Norns , a poem I wrote a few years ago about these three frightening women. Enjoy! The Norns by Arthur Rackham Weave of the Norns Beneath the threat of utter doom he sought them at their fabled loom. The king searched on until he found them on the morrow’s battleground. The tallest worked the wheel alone; the next, a shuttle made of bone; the shortest bore a silver sword with which she severed each loose cord. What pattern spun these women three, dictating mankind’s victory! “I come to beg you demonstrate a gentle weaving of our fate.” “Then know you this, oh man of peace, we weave the thread and cannot cease.” “Weave us an ending to this war and grant us threads of peace once more.” “What cost would such a wise man pay for us to change our weave this way?” And now he saw the bloody thread, time’s fab...

The Curator of our @WeeklyScribe account this week has been the fabulous Oisín Breen , who is celebrating the release of his newest book of poetry,  Lilies on the Deathbed of Étaín and Other Poems . He gave us this fantastic interview about his new book; his relationship with poetry; and words of wisdom for poets at the start of their journey. Read on, poetry-lovers... Please introduce yourself and your book. Thank you. Well, in purely declarative terms, I’m an Irishman, the sound, meaning, history and myth of my country is in the bones, so when it comes to the poetic, I am precisely the opposite of what in my own brain I call the ‘English’ style, though to be fair it stretches over the oceans, too, namely a cool, crisp, reserved, dry, acerbic, minimalist approach to writing. I’m no minimalist whatsoever. Lord, I don’t even believe in it. A poem or a story without a journey, without arc (I mean if you think of the theorist Todorov and minimal narratives, how can you not think of w...