In Prayer to Perfection, Bath Spa poetry lecturer Lucy English compiles poems from her career so far, the collection (in case you haven’t read it yet) exudes the warmth and depth of Lucy’s character so well, it remains a firm Burning Eye favourite. But Lucy is back this October with a new collection to accompany an ambitious and unique film project that she has been undertaking.
The Book of Hours is a contemporary reimagining of a medieval book of hours, which was a handy pocket sized collection of religious readings that the reader could get out at any time they wanted. Lucy’s release is the written counterpart to a collaborative project across multi-media – drawing the natural relationship of film and poetry together to create a resource of reflection and sentiment, set into a calendar.
Expect to find the same wonderful affection in The Book of Hours as Lucy’s previous work, her retelling of family invites you over the threshold, to be part of it all. A masterful second book from one of Bristol’s favourite performance poets:
The Retreat
I have not blow-dried my hair for a week
or thought about which outfit I should wear,
or revamped my Facebook status or sent a Tweet,
or cooked a complicated meal.
I ate tinned fish and apples.
I read nine books and wrote nine poems.
I’m wearing musty jeans and an old T-shirt.
My hair has found its own fashion.
There is another life I didn’t have
and I feel it like a silent twin beside me
who sits and looks out of the garden room window
at the rain clouds coming down from Crug Mawr.
Excerpt from The Book of Hours
Find out more from Lucy by visiting her website and following her on twitter! You can also keep up to date with The Book of Hours project and find information on other poets involved.
Burning Eye Books 
1 Pingback