Sometimes a little book of poems is what’s needed. These handy volumes will slip in a bag or (reasonably capacious) pocket and be there whenever you need them. Perfect for train journeys, literary picnics and lazy afternoons.
A Nature Poem for Every Winter Evening. A Nature Poem for Every Spring Evening.
The poems are taken from A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year and whilst that is a substantial book these are handy little seasonal collections. The Winter collection is perfect to read on a cold evening when the wind is howling and the snow (or perhaps more often rain) is battering the windows. Unlike real life, in this anthology Spring arrives on time. In this collection the cold of March gives way to a blustery April and then a warm and gentle May.
Batsford: Winter Evening, 2022. Spring Evening 2023.
Favourite Poems of England.
Each section of this anthology looks at a different aspect of life in England. There is a somewhat idyllic look at the country as a whole and a brief history with an anonymous rhyme about the kings and queens. The poems then travel round the country, from Sussex to the Fells and beyond. There are also things that are unusual to England: St. George and his dragon, Morris dancers and the mysteries of Stonehenge. Corner shops, wiggly roads and museums that open sporadically can all be found in other countries but, equally, have something uniquely English about them. Apart from one or two snipes about the climate, the class system and the roads, the majority of poems have been chosen to show the appealing and attractive face of England – faults it may have, but there is also much that is good in this green and pleasant land.
Batsford, Hardback 2014, paperback 2017.
Classic Readings and Poems for Life.
Birth, childhood, falling in love, growing older and dying affect us all and often need marking in some way. The poems and readings in this anthology have been chosen so that they can be used at formal events such as weddings, christenings and funerals, but also so they can be read quietly to offer joy, hope, amusement or consolation. According to our circumstances, events can make us wildly happy or leave us distraught and I have tried to include pieces that cover a whole range of emotions. Within the sections there are different balances between poetry and prose as different events and views suit themselves to different mediums. Poetry can often tread the delicate path between feelings, while prose can offer a more down-to-earth or direct perspective.
2014 Batsford.
First World War Poems.
The anthology begins just before the outbreak of war in 1914. This was the first war to be fought extensively on land, sea and in the air and I have included sections on each of the forces. It was also the first war in which women and those at home were involved to any great extent; everyone participated in this conflict. Horses, dogs and birds were all used and gave their lives in large numbers to help the cause. Everywhere, the peace and beauty of nature stood in sharp contrast to the violence and filth of war. After the Armistice, people tried to rebuild their shattered lives, amidst a prevailing atmosphere of grief and disillusion. The war memorials in every town and village, the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey and, I hope, the final chapter of this anthology will ensure that we never forget the sacrifice that so many made.
2014 National Trust Books
Favourite Poems of London/Ode to London.
Rather than divide London by area or time, I looked at some of the things that make up the city. For centuries the River Thames was the true heart of London; transporting wealth, trade and all manner of people. I also thought private gardens, street trees, city parks and the wide open spaces beyond are as much London as the terraces and tower blocks. A city is nothing without its inhabitants: the famous, the lonely and the busy all make up the tangled prints of London’s feet. Anyone who has spent more than a few days here will know that, as a nation, the British are obsessed with the weather. Each day brings forth a new set of surprises. In recognition of this, the last section of this anthology includes a series of London dawns across the years and seasons.
Batsford, Hardback 2012, paperback 2018.
Favourite Poems.
Most people have a favourite poem, even if it is only a half-remembered fragment from school. Many popular poems are also remembered for personal reasons: a piece read at a wedding or funeral, or one that brings back particular memories. The poems are divided into sections but many cross the boundaries; sticking strictly to subject matter would have resulted in an unwieldy section on love and an almost as unwieldy one on death. Instead I have followed Laurence Durrell’s strategy, ‘I have always tried to arrange my poems for balanced readability – like one does a vase of flowers’. Included in this vase are, I hope, the majority of poems most readers would expect to find, plus a few pleasant surprises which will become future favourites.
National Trust Books. 2017.