THE BEE-LOUD GLADE A Living Anthology of Irish Poetry

Two voices, a saxophone, a cello, an occasional banjo, a slide guitar, and a couple of drums help to create the sense of grace, openness, and wonder that is the essence of this poetry. “Living” is the operative word in the subtitle of this collection (“A Living Anthology of Irish Poetry”), which spans such topics as loss, lullabies, lust, and terrorism. Every musical note is in the right place, and every vowel and consonant bristles with clarity and meaning. That these pieces were recorded live in various venues in Dublin just adds to the notion that the actors and musicians were drawn to these poems and felt empowered to take good care of them. Irish poets have lost none of their zeal for language and life. B.P. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2011]