A fantastic collection with memorable words and images. Gordon Thompson Publisher Clouds of Magellan
“Loving John Bartlett’s moving new collection Songs of the Godforsaken – poems of lament and reckoning. Congratulations” Lucy Treloar – author of Salt Creek & Wolfe Island
This collection is dedicated ‘to the nameless who struggle daily for human rights, dignity and equality’. These poems explore themes of injustice and prejudice. Some of the subject matter includes the environment, sexual identity and authoritarian regimes. Examples of these themes are found in the final poem of the collection: A Year of Masks. The poems that address these values are acutely observed. Importantly they carry no judgment or blame.
There are references to religious faith and to the scriptures. The opening poem; your name echoes C.P. Cavafy’s 1911 poem God Abandons Antony.
The use of personal memory is evident in many poems, evoking beginnings, endings, loss and regret. The lyrical The Song the Wind Sings encompasses these themes in its gentle rhythms.
A wide ranging thoughtful collection taking us on a deeply engaging journey. Yvonne Adami author of Tidal
Available here: https://beyondtheestuary.com/shop/songs-of-the-godforsaken/
and
https://www.ginninderrapress.com.au/launches.html
