Earth Prayers
Encounters in Poetry with the Natural World
(Autor) Carol Ann Duffy DBE'Carol Ann Duffy is the most humane and accessible poet of our time' - Guardian The wonders of nature have inspired poets for centuries, stretching far back beyond the Romantics. Beautifully curated by Carol Ann Duffy, the poems in Earth Prayers span widely across time, but in their moments of joy, empathy or difference, even the earliest poems reveal a concern for the welfare of our planet. Duffy brings these early eco-poems into conversation with contemporary voices writing into the environmental crisis, and through this dialogue sounds a clarion call to cherish and defend the planet while we can. From John Clare to Lucille Clifton to Kathleen Jamie, the poets collected in Earth Prayers speak at times as stewards and ambassadors of the earth, at others in anger at those who would exploit nature, or to question their own part in its decline. And the earth speaks back: in Stephanie Pruitt's 'Mississippi Gardens' the soil bears witness to the worst of human history, while in 'Poem' Jorie Graham relays the earth's plea: 'remember me'. To encounter nature, these poems tell us, is to be humbled, to have our own smallness magnified by the presence of the sublime. Earth Prayers is a testament to the immense beauty of the natural world, and a challenging reminder of our place in 'the living skein / of which the world is woven'.
Carol Ann Duffy DBE
Carol Ann Duffy DBE is a renowned Scottish poet and playwright, known for her evocative and lyrical writing style. She served as the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 2009 to 2019, becoming the first woman, first Scot, and first openly LGBT person to hold the position. Duffy's works often explore themes of love, gender, and identity, and she is praised for her ability to capture complex emotions in simple, accessible language.
Some of Duffy's most notable works include "The World's Wife," a collection of poems that give voice to the female partners of famous historical and mythological figures, and "Rapture," a collection of love poems that won the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2005. Duffy's impact on contemporary poetry is significant, as she has inspired a new generation of poets to explore personal and political themes in their work.
One of Duffy's most famous works is "The Bees," a collection that was awarded the Costa Book Award in 2011. In this collection, Duffy reflects on the beauty of nature and the fragility of the human experience, showcasing her talent for blending the personal and the universal in her poetry. Duffy's contributions to literature have earned her numerous awards and accolades, cementing her reputation as one of the most important voices in contemporary poetry.
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Earth Prayers
Encounters in Poetry with the Natural World
