Caroline Gill: Poetry and Other Writing: Poetry Book Review: 'Flavours' by Lori Levy and Neil Leadbeater

Monday, 7 September 2026

Poetry Book Review: 'Flavours' by Lori Levy and Neil Leadbeater

I was delighted to find that fellow poet, Neil Leadbeater, had brought out another collection, shared this time with Lori Levy (interviewed by Neil here). The very title, Flavours, conjures up a lavish spread of glorious food for the reader's enjoyment; who could fail to be drawn in by those zesty lemons that adorn the cover, painted in acrylics by Katie Bayer?

The first half is given over to Lori's poems under the intriguing heading, 'Lemons, Eggplants and Chocolate Chip Cookies'. Neil's poems follow under the heading, 'The Fruits of Our Labour' (Psalm 128:2 comes to mind). The final section contains 'Dialogue Poems' which unfold in a poetic conversation between the two poets, with Lori's words on each verso and Neil's poems of response on the opposite recto.

The Contents page alone is enough to set one's mouth watering, with its mention of 'Peach', 'Pomelo', 'Pistachio' and 'Olives'. Perhaps somewhat unusually for poets today, Lori and Neil have not shied away from the inclusion of humour, an ingredient (sorry...) that enhances these beautifully crafted texts and brings a wry smile to my face. To humour we can add a compelling sense of playfulness, an aspect that is particularly appreciated in these difficult times. I am pasting in the opening lines of Neil's penultimate poem, written in response to 'You Change Your Mind' by Lori:

I mentioned 'Pistachio' (ah, how I love pistachios!). Neil's poem, once again pasted in below, made me wonder why I had never made the sonic connection between the name of the nut and the nasal reflex action. I cannot imagine hearing another sneeze without chuckling to myself, even though the setting for my own pistachio experiences have taken place in a rather different geographical zone, along the shores of the Aegean.

And finally, by way of samples from Neil's pen, I thought I would include 'Gathering Windfalls', which sits opposite another apple poem by Neil, 'Grease-banding the Apple Trees'. Apples, whether mentioned by name or not, have played a key part in texts from Genesis (Adam and Eve) to Greek mythology (Eris). Sir Isaac Newton's 'eureka' moment supposedly came about when he was hit by a windfall. The apple is, of course, also associated with the story of Snow White.

Neil's poem, and I sense there is an intended allusion to at least one of the apple instances above, will resonate with those of us who grew up in Kent, the Garden of England. My family had two Bramley trees in our suburban garden, and like the speaker in the poem, I recall foraging 'in the grass' as a youngster, trying to find shiny apples without too many worm holes, for Harvest Festival or indeed for apple sauce. I love the character of the robin and the fact that Neil has alluded to the wonderful apple names. Perhaps what I find most arresting however is the final unexpected twist when the warm shades of September, the scarlet (of the bird), copper and burnt umber, give way to full-blown autumn 'in its lemon light'.

There is so much more that could be said about this enticing smorgasbord of a collection and I am conscious that I have made Neil's contributions my focus. I have barely touched on the skilful use of craft, the clever metaphors that have been employed or the rich vocabulary. However, I hope you may care to explore these 'Flavours' for yourself so that you can follow and enjoy the gist of the stimulating conversation between two poets who live in different parts of the globe and offer their thoughts on much of what it is that makes us human.

Flavours is available from various outlets including...