Book Review - A Lightness of Being

From the simple white cover with its coloured feather from an Indian pea fowl, this book is a delight. All the poems were entries in the 2013 Poetica Christi Poetica Competition. The judge chose 25 and the committee chose the remaining poems. Like all anthologies there is a wide representation of poets and topics that fit into the theme A Lightness of Being, edited by Janette Fernando. 

The winning poem, Waiting at the Sydenham Rail Crossing might seem to be about waiting for a train to move from a rail crossing, but is about so much more than that. It is about memory, changes in society and the passing of life. I really enjoyed it. Contrast this dense and thought provoking poem with the gently lyrical Catching Clouds, that is as fine as mist, and you get some idea of the variety in this anthology.

I also liked the scenes portrayed in Nowra Evening which starts

All afternoon the town’s

Been drilled by sunlight.

You feel the changing temperature and atmosphere as the evening arrives over the town.

The idea behind Weightless and the way the words enhance the theme is particularly effective and is another favourite of mine. The light hearted touch in the rhyming Making Poetryis effective. These are just are few I have highlighted. There are plenty of other great poems. The poems are enhanced by black and white photographs. One that is particularly striking is the spider web behind the poem Recognition. It is delicate and graceful as the poem itself.

As in most of the anthologies presented by Poetica Christi Press from their poetry competitions there are a lot of poems to like. This anthology contains poems that will set you thinking and remembering, poems that will have you revelling in the play of words, and poems just to sit back and enjoy. This is a book that will get dipped into time and time again, a book to lift the spirits and spend time in. It is an anthology that gives a great representation of the extent and talent of poets writing in Australia today.