A SCATTERING - by CHRISTOPHER REID

I have been reading and re-reading the poems by Christopher Reid collected in his anthology “A scattering”, which I wholeheartedly recommend.  They are love letters to his deceased wife, who died of brain cancer. The anthology is divided in 4 sequences, charting their life together before her illness (the poet describes their happy holiday in Crete), during her illness and her deterioration, and after her death where he describes his anguish and loneliness (His poem entitled “Soul” is heartbreaking).  The last section is entitled "Lucinda’s way". These poems are true love letters to his wife pinpointing all the many qualities she possessed and traits he loved about her.

The poems are so poignant, filled with love for his wife, but also filled with grief due to his loss. His pain is so real, you feel it yourself as if by osmosis.

The anthology rightfully won the Costa 2009 Book of the year.

I pondered greatly whether I should create a blog, whether I have something to add to the blogsphere and whether anyone bar my closest friends would be interested in my entries.

My closest friend has been urging me to create my blog for months now and I kept putting off the decision. Though my decision swayed in the nay side more often that not, I decided to just go for it, pushed greatly by the fact that I need to express my creative side more openly, trait of my personality which I have suppressed for far too long.

I thus created a forum to write, something I love to do and something I need to do as this is the way I express myself.

I'll be chatting to you (or just me) about all that is of interest to me. Books I've read, movies I've seen, recipes I've tried, places I've discovered, cultural events to see, etc.

So, let's begin..............