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Yes, there are plenty of references to children in this batch as you might expect.
About half the poems mention the word child or children or refer to youth in some other guise, but the references are consistently subtle, moving and varied. The
more obvious themes such as refugee camps and malnutrition are present, as in '
The Children by Mimi Khalvati, for example. Others approach the subject matter nostalgically or mythically as in Danielle Pantano's gorgeous little six liner 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' This poem wraps me back in the feel of flannelette pyjamas, to quote two words from Magi Gibson's equally moving poem, 'I Want…'.
There are verses that touch on war, although the emphasis is usually the opposite - peace or mercy. There are many more poems about love. Michael R. Burch's 'Learning To Fly' uses love three times in one fourteen word stanza. What a great
little poem it is. The last line says it all : Let us bear one another up in our vast
migration. It makes me feel good just to type it out.
With poems that reference children and love, it is hardly surprising to find that
season of goodwill creeping in somewhere. Normally I would shy away from poems about Christmas. I enjoy this endless holiday about as much as I enjoy the game of cricket, which I enjoy a little less than watching stalactites form in a damp unlit
cave. Edwin Morgan's poem, 'Trio' about a boy, two girls, a baby, a chihuahua dog and a new guitar, however…
Yes you read it correctly. It sounds positively awful doesn't it. It is actually one of my favorites. There is such a message of hope and sanity in this.
…Melting baby! Warm Chihuahua!
The vale of tears is powerless before you.
Whether Christ is born, or is not born, you
put paid to fate…
One of my jottings was made after reading the end of Robert Mezey's poem, 'I Am
Beginning To Hear', to remind myself that it finished on such a magical line -
a flower suddenly folding up
and rushing away into its ancient parchments
The editor clearly agreed. I moved on to read the next poem, but found that I had come to the end of this delightful ride (or massage). It made perfect sense. This was
a perfect way to close an anthology about hopes and dreams.
Children, love, reflection on childhood, prayers for the future and celebrations of
life and relationships abound between the covers of 'The Book Of Hopes And Dreams'. These references may make you think, 'slushy', 'sentimental' or 'trite', but
it has none of those characteristics. It is up to the mark modern poetry at its best. It
is fresh, moving, thought provoking and so right for this project. I really hope that you feel encouraged by my few words to try it for yourself and at the same time,
make a valued contribution to such a worthy cause.
Graham Burchell
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