The Watching Stair
Published on 14. September 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
78 pages
978-1-905208-41-8 (ISBN)
Description
This is a new collection of poems. They are accessible, highly intelligent,and have a wonderful psychological truthfulness,
particularly about relations between mother and daughter.The poems transcend the individual situation to become
meditations on meaning in the face of mortality.
This is a new collection of poems. They are accessible, highly intelligent,and have a wonderful psychological truthfulness,
particularly about relations between mother and daughter.The poems transcend the individual situation to become
meditations on meaning in the face of mortality.
particularly about relations between mother and daughter.The poems transcend the individual situation to become
meditations on meaning in the face of mortality.
This is a new collection of poems. They are accessible, highly intelligent,and have a wonderful psychological truthfulness,
particularly about relations between mother and daughter.The poems transcend the individual situation to become
meditations on meaning in the face of mortality.
Reviews / Votes
The Watching Stair is a wonderfully apt title for this collection. Like the narrator of the title poem, Diana Hendry is `intensely good' at both `watching and listening'. The result is a collection of poignant, often wryly humorous and always beautifully-crafted poems that open windows on childhood and old-age. Vicki FeaverThe Watching Stair is a wonderfully apt title for this collection. Like the narrator of the title poem, Diana Hendry is `intensely good' at both `watching and listening'. The result is a collection of poignant, often wryly humorous and always beautifully-crafted poems that open windows on childhood and old-age. Vicki Feaver
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Tonbridge
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 135 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-905208-41-8 (9781905208418)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Diana Hendry has published six poetry collections, including
The Seed-Box Lantern: New and Selected Poems (Mariscat Press,
2013). Her short stories have been widely published and
broadcast, She is the author of more than forty books for
children-Harvey Angell won a Whitbread Award and her
young novel, The Seeing, was shortlisted for a Costa Award.
A junior novel, Out of the Clouds (Hodder), was published in
2016 with a sequel, Whoever You Are, in 2018. She has written
the libretto for a new version of The Pied Piper of Hamlyn
(music by John G Mortimer). From 1997-8 Diana was writer
in residence at Dumfires & Galloway Royal Infirmary. In
2007 she was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship
and from 2008-10 was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the
University of Edinburgh. She is a frequent tutor on creative
writing courses at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre and was
recently co-editor of New Writing Scotland. She lives in
Edinburgh. www.dianahendry.co.uk
Diana Hendry has published six poetry collections, including
The Seed-Box Lantern: New and Selected Poems (Mariscat Press,
2013). Her short stories have been widely published and
broadcast, She is the author of more than forty books for
children-Harvey Angell won a Whitbread Award and her
young novel, The Seeing, was shortlisted for a Costa Award.
A junior novel, Out of the Clouds (Hodder), was published in
2016 with a sequel, Whoever You Are, in 2018. She has written
the libretto for a new version of The Pied Piper of Hamlyn
(music by John G Mortimer). From 1997-8 Diana was writer
in residence at Dumfires & Galloway Royal Infirmary. In
2007 she was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship
and from 2008-10 was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the
University of Edinburgh. She is a frequent tutor on creative
writing courses at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre and was
recently co-editor of New Writing Scotland. She lives in
Edinburgh. www.dianahendry.co.uk
The Seed-Box Lantern: New and Selected Poems (Mariscat Press,
2013). Her short stories have been widely published and
broadcast, She is the author of more than forty books for
children-Harvey Angell won a Whitbread Award and her
young novel, The Seeing, was shortlisted for a Costa Award.
A junior novel, Out of the Clouds (Hodder), was published in
2016 with a sequel, Whoever You Are, in 2018. She has written
the libretto for a new version of The Pied Piper of Hamlyn
(music by John G Mortimer). From 1997-8 Diana was writer
in residence at Dumfires & Galloway Royal Infirmary. In
2007 she was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship
and from 2008-10 was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the
University of Edinburgh. She is a frequent tutor on creative
writing courses at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre and was
recently co-editor of New Writing Scotland. She lives in
Edinburgh. www.dianahendry.co.uk
Diana Hendry has published six poetry collections, including
The Seed-Box Lantern: New and Selected Poems (Mariscat Press,
2013). Her short stories have been widely published and
broadcast, She is the author of more than forty books for
children-Harvey Angell won a Whitbread Award and her
young novel, The Seeing, was shortlisted for a Costa Award.
A junior novel, Out of the Clouds (Hodder), was published in
2016 with a sequel, Whoever You Are, in 2018. She has written
the libretto for a new version of The Pied Piper of Hamlyn
(music by John G Mortimer). From 1997-8 Diana was writer
in residence at Dumfires & Galloway Royal Infirmary. In
2007 she was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship
and from 2008-10 was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the
University of Edinburgh. She is a frequent tutor on creative
writing courses at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre and was
recently co-editor of New Writing Scotland. She lives in
Edinburgh. www.dianahendry.co.uk
Content
Autobiography 1
The Watching Stair 2
The Catch 3
Before 4
The Billiard Room 5
My First Love 6
Murphy 7
Imaginary Snakes 8
Latin by Post 10
Mother on the Beach 11
The Beaten Track 12
Other Mothers 13
The Pot of Rouge 14
Far from true 15
Kaddish 16
Father's Doors 17
Fire Watch 18
Sonny Boy 19
The Greenhouse 20
What we're here for 21
Cousins i 22
Cousins ii 24
Lighting Effects 25
Parting 26
My Daughter's House 27
Wind, go easy 28
Charades with Freya (7) 29
To Talia, at six months 30
Travelling with Ruairidh 31
Boys 32
Signs 33
Watching telly with you 34
The Winter Pilgrim 35
Caroline Herschel: Her CV 37
Paddy on his long Irish legs 38
Abduction 39
Dorothy Dobson 40
Never Brought to Mind 41
Absent Friends 42
To friends prevented by illness from visiting 44
Gwen Boyt 45
Jim on Sax 46
The Kano Beggars 47
Leonard 48
Abigail's Garden 49
Portobello Beach 50
Trespassing 51
What the rowan tree said 52
April: Early Evening 53
Yellow Poppies 54
Nasturtiums 55
How to play the piano 56
The Last Piano 58
In praise of a potted cyclamen 59
In praise of the man with big ears 60
In praise of the Variscan 61
Canada 62
Camouflage 63
On being asked to write a poem about a tool or utensil 64
Treasure 66
Timor mortis conturbat me 67
End Matter 68
Callers 70
Beyond 71
Praise Poem 72
Dear Seamus 75
Notes 76
About the Author 77
The Watching Stair 2
The Catch 3
Before 4
The Billiard Room 5
My First Love 6
Murphy 7
Imaginary Snakes 8
Latin by Post 10
Mother on the Beach 11
The Beaten Track 12
Other Mothers 13
The Pot of Rouge 14
Far from true 15
Kaddish 16
Father's Doors 17
Fire Watch 18
Sonny Boy 19
The Greenhouse 20
What we're here for 21
Cousins i 22
Cousins ii 24
Lighting Effects 25
Parting 26
My Daughter's House 27
Wind, go easy 28
Charades with Freya (7) 29
To Talia, at six months 30
Travelling with Ruairidh 31
Boys 32
Signs 33
Watching telly with you 34
The Winter Pilgrim 35
Caroline Herschel: Her CV 37
Paddy on his long Irish legs 38
Abduction 39
Dorothy Dobson 40
Never Brought to Mind 41
Absent Friends 42
To friends prevented by illness from visiting 44
Gwen Boyt 45
Jim on Sax 46
The Kano Beggars 47
Leonard 48
Abigail's Garden 49
Portobello Beach 50
Trespassing 51
What the rowan tree said 52
April: Early Evening 53
Yellow Poppies 54
Nasturtiums 55
How to play the piano 56
The Last Piano 58
In praise of a potted cyclamen 59
In praise of the man with big ears 60
In praise of the Variscan 61
Canada 62
Camouflage 63
On being asked to write a poem about a tool or utensil 64
Treasure 66
Timor mortis conturbat me 67
End Matter 68
Callers 70
Beyond 71
Praise Poem 72
Dear Seamus 75
Notes 76
About the Author 77