168 Miles Between Stanzas

168 Miles Between Stanzas is a joint collection, with an equal number of poems written by me, and by my friend Philip Smith. He lives in Sidmouth, in Devon, and the title reflects the distance between our two homes. The poems were chosen jointly, no inconsiderable achievement when you have two poets seeking the inclusion of their work. We selected individually and there were few poems we disagreed about – in the end we agreed each should include three poems of their individual choice.

There are eighty-six poems in all and the work of the two poets is presented side by side. Very few are written in form, they are predominantly in free verse. The book ranges over many subjects and has representation for many genres. There are themes of memory and place, art and history, protest and persecution, love and friendship. Loss and grief are here beside redemption, nature and humour.

An appreciation of each other’s poetry, and a celebration of difference, inspired and encouraged us to choose and sequence this selection.

The Poems

This part of the book is divided into eight sections.

Five are described by the location of the first and last poems - for instance the first section, Dart to Thames, opens with The Dipper on the River Dart and ends with Canvas, an ekphrastic description of Turner’s painting of the final journey of the hulk of the Trafalgar man of war, The Fighting Temeraire, under tow, to a breaker’s yard on the Thames.

Reading from ' Painting a Madonna'

The other ‘location’ sections, Bosham to Leningrad followed by

Reading of 'Sleeping with the Stars'

Bessbrook to Fingeringhoe (from For Longer Than Was Wise)

A girl of seventeen, she was born in Bessbrook town,

Her long black hair, luxuriant, is loosely hanging down.

She can hold a young man’s look with her deep green eyes,

And although he never knows it, for longer than is wise

For Longer Than Was Wise

Nowhere to Beer, Aldeburgh to Falasarna (from The Charcoal Burners by Philip Smith) each contain a similarly eclectic spread of content.

Memories can smoulder for days…

…Then a steady wisp of smoke

Will burst into flames in a matter of moments

As recollections surface and flare in the daylight.

The Charcoal Burners

Of the other three sections, Grief and Loss, Saying Goodbye and a New Awakening, are poems of love, grief, and remembrance, written by Philip as a celebration of the life of his late wife, Bridget.

The last section reprises work from my earlier book, the Nonsuch Poems.