Smokestack Books: Lightyear by Alison Fell

Lightyear: Alison Fell

Lightyear is the story of a journey from January to December, a walk through the seasons, a year full of outdoor danger and delights. Inspired by the Swedish poet Staffan Söderblom's "Six October Poems", Lightyear tracks the calendar changes of time and the elements on the body-in-the-landscape. The poems were written in over a three year period, in the country and in the city, in North London, Cornwall, Scotland, Greece and the French Alps. Lightyear is a book for all weathers.

Alison Fell reading from Lightyear at the Middlesbrough launch event

"Alison Fell is one of the finest poets alive. Her vision is clear and bright, her ear for the music of words is perfect. There are golden lines, blue lines, red lines and crystal lines - such shining, such sweet thunder. With their warmth, wonder, sensuality, humour, sorrow, her poems - counter-pointed vividly by the photographs of Ivan Coleman - are various as the weather. Now and then she reminds me of Keats, of John Clare, Basil Bunting, Caryl Churchill or Duke Ellington at the piano. They would all enjoy walking through and flying over Alison Fell's enchanted landscapes. This is a beautiful book. If it doesn't lift your heart, go jump in a lake."

(Adrian Mitchell)

"an exquisite collection"

PN Review

Alison Fell's previous books of poetry include Kisses for Mayakovsky (which won the Alice Hunt Bartlett Award), The Crystal Owl and Dreams Like Heretics. She has edited three anthologies, The Seven Deadly Sins, The Seven Cardinal Virtues, Serious Hysterics and published seven novels, including Mer de Glace (winner of the Boardman Tasker Memorial Award), The Mistress of Lilliput and Tricks of the Light.

Ivan Coleman is Head of Photography at Goldsmith's College, London. He has worked as a photojournalist for over 10 years and his work has been published in all the national press. In 2001 he won a place in the M.I.L.K photo international touring exhibition and book. He also founded the London picture-library Londonseen in 2002. He is Alison Fell's son.