NEW HOPE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW

There are 84 pages of poems in this 92-page volume. Guest poets are Norman Bissett, Peter Davies, Margaret Munro Gibson, Caroline Gill, Bernard M.Jackson, Brigid Simpson, Joan Sheridan Smith, and Hugh Webb, the majority of poems being those of Wendy Webb. It is not clear if all the work of Wendy Webb is reprinted from previous collections or include new poems. Andrew Dibben, a watercolour artist who has been inspired by the area, provides the cover artwork — INCOMING TIDE, HOLKHAM, and a short FOREWORD.

The geography/sites of the poems may interest Norfolk lovers. A short list includes the following major/minor references — the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, Heathersett, Sheringham, Wymondham, Diss, Cley, Burnham Thorpe, Holkham, Weybourne, Cromer, Blakeney Point, Norton.Sutton, Happisburgh, Yarmouth, Caister, and Hunstanton. Naturally the poems include various associations connected to people and culture. Much is made of Nelson, born in Burnham Thorpe and retired there in his pre-Hamilton days. The objective is the overall picture, which appears to have been successfully attained.

The poetry in places does enhance prose description, but in my opinion, on average, not greatly, although I acknowledge a certain piquancy is induced in any reader who is a poetry familiar. Most poems raised my perceptions but not my mental temperature, and techniques often conveyed a flatness, contrasting with memorable poetry.

Aside from the above personal opinions, the main author has won many prizes in competitions, and has devised new poetry forms, trying by many means (including a pastiche on the Wordsworthian everbright WESTMINSTER BRIDGE poem) to make her work tell.

The provision of a map with relevant place names would improve interest in any future county effort, and the collection could include older work. In this respect I draw attention to the POET'S ENGLAND series, being collections of poetry from and about various counties, including not just coastlines, but the whole county. This series commenced in 1976 with a compilation by Margaret Tims of the Brentham Press of poetry relevant to Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire. Possibly one on Norfolk exists — there is certainly one on next-door Suffolk.