Richard England’s latest book of selected poems Clavichords: Broken Waters – Twilight Dreams is his fifth book of poems. Like most of his books it is published in Italy. It is a fine, indeed, a refined publication, with illustrations by Professor England himself. Poems from the five publications have been set to music by Charles Camilleri and Marc England. Clavichords has an introduction by Brian J. Dendle who was Professor of Spanish Literature at the University of Kentucky from 1971 to 2005. The book has an Afterword by Joe Friggieri, who needs no introduction and who is himself a poet.

Let the poetry speak for itself:

BETWEEN

Between

if

maybe

and

might have been

lie

the

roads one could have taken

if

maybe

might have been

had been.

REMEMBER

Faced

with

ailments and afflictions

remember

that

it

is

the

malady

of

the

oyster

that

produces

the

pearl.

SINCE YOU WENT AWAY

Since

you went away

for

your return I pray

to

illuminate

once more

the

darkness of my life.

In

this

emptiness of absence

I

yearn for your return.

Here is a quote from Professor Joe Friggieri regarding Clavichords:

“Throughout the collection the poet seems to waver between the thought that death is the end of everything and the belief that there is some kind of life beyond the grave. Ultimately it is only ‘the gift of faith’ that allows the poet to ‘cross the threshold between time and timelessness, pass from darkness to light, transmute blindness into vision, leap beyond reason, touch divine wisdom and glow in luminescence.”

This is beautiful collection full of sentiment and emotion and gives us not only enjoyment but also food for thought.

MB