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...

• Bookshop.org
• Amazon UK 

 

Publisher	Cyberwit.Net
Published	2026
Pages	74

 

14 May is #dylanday

Tulips in Cwmdonkin Park, Swansea

 

14 May is #dylanday, a day to remember Dylan Thomas. I am posting this as part of a Facebook celebration initiated by Lidia Chiarelli of Immagine e Poesia. 

Under Milk Wood was first read on stage at The Poetry Centre in New York on 14 May 1953.

Please find below some lines from my poem in memory of the poet. My poem was first published in Places within Reach (2006), an anthology from Indigo Dreams Press, edited by Ronnie Goodyer.

Tycoch

 
Tall rows of rainbow tulips line these ways
where poets, lovers, dreamers stoop to gaze
upon the mirror of the pool. A sudden spark
shakes up the surface like a burning coal.
We jump, and vow to leave before the night
sweeps down from Kilvey Hill: a rook in flight
spreads shadows on the bay and bares its soul.
We climb the hill where ponies used to roam
and reach at last the red, red walls of home.

© Caroline Gill

Tycoch is a district in Swansea. Its literal meaning is 'red house' in Welsh. 

 

 

... More #dylanday here. 

14 May: #dylanday

 

I have been invited to take part in a #dylanday poetry and art project coordinated by Ana Stjelja of Association Alia Mundi ...

You can read my micropoem above and see my accompanying image below.  

I am delighted when poetry brings us together in these uncertain times. My thanks to Ana.  

  

More #dylanday here. 

And finally, with thanks to Ana:

 

 

World Book Day, 5 March 2026

 

Today is World Book Day 2026, and while the day is primarily intended for children and young people, it seems sense to broaden the boundaries. 

The covers above are from my poetry collection Driftwood by Starlight and my recent poetry pamphlet, Polar Corona. 

 

* * * 

 

In other news, Italian poet, Lidia Chiarelli, has just compiled an eBook which you can download for free from her site here. 

Lidia writes:

IMMAGINE & POESIA 2026 Ebook is a Bridge between different Countries and Cultures: Artists and Poets meet in the name of Beauty and Peace. In a wounded world where new wars are constantly breaking out in different parts of the globe, we want to believe and make our own the words of American poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-1921): Poets and Artists are Natural Bearers of Light. 

I am delighted to have a poem, 'Under a Marbled Moon', in the eBook. It was written in response to artwork by South Korean artist, Jong-o Park. Jong-o's picture is entitled 'Song of the Moonlight Sea'. 

'Polar Corona': Three Reviews

 

POLAR CORONA

A Crown of Antarctic Sonnets 

Hedgehog Poetry Press Pamphlet 

 

With much gratitude to those whose names appear below, here are the latest REVIEWS (in order of appearance):

 

1. Neil Leadbeater on WriteOutLoud

2. Juliet Wilson on her Crafty Green Poet site

3. Jill Stanton-Huxton on her Website

 

 

'Polar Corona' ... First Review

 

 

Thank you to all who have expressed an interest in my new Polar Corona pamphlet. You can find further details about it here on the Hedgehog Poetry Press site. UK price: £7.99.

It seemed appropriate to take a photo in the snow. 

I am indebted to Neil Leadbeater, whose review appears on the WriteOutLoud site, here.  

   

Happy New Year to all

 

* * *

 

On a different note, A Poet in Every Port is an initiative to mark 75 years of the Southbank Centre, which includes the Poetry Library. Visit the website here to find out more. 

 

'Polar Corona': Today is the Official Release Day

 

And the mice? See page 14

 

TODAY'S THE DAY...

Are you looking for a stocking filler? Or a small gift for yourself? Take a look here. 

Today, Thursday 18th, Flake Appreciation Day (see here), marks the Official Release of my new snowbound poetry pamphlet, Polar Corona (Hedgehog Poetry Press, £7.99). 

*'Signed copy' orders: see here for ordering instructions. You can DM me on Facebook or leave a comment on this blog. Copies ordered up until 3pm/15:00hrs via these methods for UK destinations will be posted First Class this afternoon.* 

 

 From the blurbs: 

“Caroline Gill has produced a beautifully crafted cycle of poems, in which the final line of each one is taken up by the next until the final poem brings us back to where we began, in a perfect round. These poems bring the Antarctic to life, a vast world of ice and snow, a world of astonishing loveliness, illuminated by the stars, and at the same time a world in which human beings and creatures such as penguins live out a perilous existence... To read these poems is to be confronted with a terrifying beauty, and with courage in its purest form.”

– Professor J. R. Watson, University of Durham

“In Polar Corona, Caroline Gill offers a vivid and precise depiction of Antarctica’s landscape and wildlife, especially the seasonal rhythms of penguins’ lives, interwoven with a poignant exploration of human fortitude in this most testing of environments. Her marvellous ear for the music of a poem is evident throughout and the intricate pattern of mostly half rhymes cleverly accentuates the pervading sense of risk and unpredictability...”

– Susan Richardson Author of Where the Seals Sing (William Collins, 2022) and Words the Turtle Taught Me (Cinnamon Press, 2018), shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award

 

“When we introduce people to objects, artworks and archives in our polar collections, they are transported to a time and place far removed from our museum in Cambridge. In Caroline Gill’s evocative Polar Corona, she closes the distance and brings the ‘heroic age’ of polar exploration to life. Her words open a window in our imaginations directly onto Antarctica’s remote sights and sounds.”

– Dr Charlotte Connelly Former Museum Curator, The Polar Museum, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge