artwork by Bronwen R. Evans
About Lizzie Ballagher: Ballagher’s focus is on landscapes, both interior and exterior; also on the beauty of nature. Having studied in England, Ireland, and the USA, she worked in education and publishing. Her poems have appeared in print and online in all corners of the English-speaking world. You can find more of her work here.
Thank you so much to all those who sent in their poetry in response to ‘The Eerie’. I was given such a wide selection of brilliant work to read, all drawing from the prompt and in many cases, extending its possibilities in such thoughtful ways.
I’ve been treated to the lives and magics of swallows, nightjars, wrens, owls, corvids and bats, as well as the ghosts of forests and streams. Beautiful also, to see poetry from across the globe, presenting sensory and visual illustrations of the terrain, weathers and creatures being written about from a lived perspective.
I also really appreciated the work that offered warnings from nature, and fears for our planet’s future; grief evoked through the eyes and images of birds. Grateful too, for those pieces that shared deeply personal connections to our environment, and of course, for the spooky stories of liminal spaces and dark nights. It is a lovely feeling to get to know all those submitting a little better, through their writing.
The chosen poem is ‘Owl-Speak’, by Lizzie Ballagher. It really drew me into the journey of the owls in the night air, perfectly noting the abundance of crepuscular and nocturnal life that exists, often out of sight. I also loved the imagery of the night as a structure of reverence to be navigated, perhaps even haunted - and could feel myself bearing witness to two creatures communicating in their territory of darkness. Beautifully, its shape and form seem to mimic the echoing, bouncing quality of the calling owls, suggesting their unity as a pair. Such a lot of clever touches and effective descriptions in this poem - a very calming interpretation of eerie.
Thanks again everyone for the chance to read your work, a real treat as always. I can’t wait for the next prompt and really hope you’ll feel inspired to submit again.
Happy Spooking!
-Bronwen R. Evans
A wee reminder that submissions over at The Wee Sparrow Haiku Nook are open until the 15th of August. As Marc is on holiday, I will be selecting the haiku to feature for this month. Send me three of your very best haiku inspired by August in your part of the world. Full submission guidelines are on our website here.
Happy writing!
Chirp chirp!
Claire