Book Description

The sixty poems in Lucilla Maclaren Spillane’s collection are written with a keen eye for detail and draw on her wide range of experiences in several countries. Written in traditional form and with an ear for harmony, they are memorable and easy to read. The poems range from the deep understanding she shows in Another Seeing, through the beauty of ‘The Lake’ in Wisconsin, ‘The Fountain’ in Oxford and ‘Street Lamps’ in Malta to the stark humanity of ‘The Beggar,’ ‘The Widow’ and ‘A Lonely New Year.’ ‘Lift Off!’ re-creates the tension of a Space Shuttle Launch; ‘Dragon’ the secret fears of a child with epilepsy; ‘No Time to Die,’ the redemption of an alcoholic; ‘Sunday Bells,’ the frustrations of the writing process; whilst ‘Haggis Night,’ vividly depicts the fabled Hogmanay Hunt for Haggis in the Highlands of Scotland. Some of the poems in this collection deal with disabilities, including the author’s own epilepsy. The poems will provoke thought on the broader implications of disability and on the way others respond to it. The notes to the poems contained within this volume also give the poems added depth and interest, explaining how and where they were inspired and what it was that prompted her to write each of them. The afterword explores her influences, philosophy and beliefs with regard to poetry.