Julia Rose Lewis has given me a gift I have never received before. Her new book, High Erratic Ecology from Knives Forks and Spoons press, is a new kind of poetry thing, and does me great honour by including a poem of mine, I think, and at times, documents Julia and I’s connection, correspondence, poetic exchanges over the last years.
Julia is one of the best poets working in the UK and America that I’ve been reading since I’ve been reading. She helped as many peers and friends as I have tried to do. Her and I have often lapsed into writing email poems to each other, without design. In this new book she has created something which is a singular collection, a collaborative book, an epistolary email prose poem abstract novel and a diaristic, ekphrastic reflection. It’s all of these things and none. And a lot of my concerns, and some performances, as a poet, find their way in and around the very distinct voice Julia has. It makes me actually feel some of my stuff has been worthwhile. Makes me feel my poetic friendships are sincere. I’m proud to be connected into this book. Wonderful it was to read. My words about Julia’s work is on the back of the book too, and at the book link
(Here is my poem in the book also…)