Lightyear

Lightyear is the story of a journey from January to December, a walk through the seasons, a year full of outdoor danger and delights. Inspired by the Swedish poet Staffan Söderblom''s "Six October Poems", Lightyear tracks the calendar changes of time and the elements on the body-in-the-landscape. The poems were written in over a three year period, in the country and in the city, in North London, Cornwall, Scotland, Greece and the French Alps. Lightyear is a book for all weathers."An exquisite collection." - PN Review"Alison Fell is one of the finest poets alive. Her vision is clear and bright, her ear for the music of words is perfect. There are golden lines, blue lines, red lines and crystal lines - such shining, such sweet thunder. With their warmth, wonder, sensuality, humour, sorrow, her poems - counter-pointed vividly by the photographs of Ivan Coleman - are various as the weather. Now and then she reminds me of Keats, of John Clare, Basil Bunting, Caryl Churchill or Duke Ellington at the piano. They would all enjoy walking through and flying over Alison Fell''s enchanted landscapes. This is a beautiful book. If it doesn''t lift your heart, go jump in a lake." - Adrian Mitchell