Patricia M Osborne

Patricia’s Pen is delighted to feature poet, Kerry Darbishire. Kerry has come along to tell readers what inspired her to write newly released poetry collection, Jardinière. Without further ado let’s go over to Kerry.

The Inspiration Behind Writing Jardinière

Kerry Darbishire

Many years ago a friend bought me a jardinière and ever since then it has graced our windowsill, and as each flower I collect from the garden fades, I drop in the spilled dried petals. It’s now brimful with the gatherings of spring, summer, autumn, winter, my children growing up, friends past and present and the landscape I have always lived in and love.

The poems in this collection have been written over many years not with any intent of a collection, until I realised they threaded together in a way that reflected all the memories gathered through the seasons and years and as the jardinière on my windowsill was full, it seemed the right time to put the poems in order. I commissioned my artist husband Stephen, to paint the cover to reflect the poems and the rest followed. When I felt it was ready to send out. I submitted to the Hedgehog Poetry Full Fat competition and was delighted to be a joint winner with Hélène Demetriades in 2021.

Going back to when Covid 19 struck the world, I had two choices, either retreat from poetry, cook and walk more, or throw myself further in to reading, learning and writing. I zoomed into workshops, readings and through these I’ve been inspired and met many wonderful poets from all over the world, and since I’ve been pleased to have poems placed in competitions, publish two pamphlets and see this third collection into the world.

I have many happy memories of growing up in a wooden house by a river in Cumbria, and now I’m very fortunate to still live in a wild place. I have access to the fell above our house and surrounding fields where most of my poetry is rooted.  The seasons are important to me as they dictate the way we live. For instance, having our own water supply from the fell, we have to be careful in the dry summer months. There were times in winter when the pipes would freeze. The arrival and leaving of swallows, hearing the first cuckoo and the lambs coming into the surrounding fields – all these things affect the way we think and live.

I’ve also had the privilege of collaborating with poet Kelly Davis on our pamphlet,  Glory Days, poems about motherhood from various aspects.

I read a lot of poetry, my bookshelves are never big enough. It’s always exciting to find new and older poetry I really like.

About Kerry Darbishire

Kerry Darbishire songwriter, author and poet lives in remote farmhouse in Cumbria where most of her poetry is rooted. Her first collection A Lift of Wings, 2014, her second, Distance Sweet on my Tongue, 2018, both with Indigo Dreams Publishing. Kay’s Ark, the story of her mother, published by Handstand Press in 2016. Her pamphlet A Window of Passing Light published by Dempsey and Windle in 2021, also Glory Days, a collaboration with poet Kelly Davis was published in 2021 by Grey Hen Press.

Her poems appear widely in magazines and anthologies including: Artemis, Mslexia, Birmingham Journal, Finished Creatures, The Alchemy Spoon, Envoi, Atrium. She has won or been shortlisted in several prizes including Bridport 2017.

To order any of Kerry’s books please contact her via Twitter or email using the links below

Links

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