Starspin

<p><em>Starspin</em> is a reflective collection which includes poems published in a wide range of leading magazines and journals including <em>Carillon; Dream Catcher; Envoi; Labrys; Lunar Poetry; Manifold; Northwords Now; Orbis; Other Poetry;Poetry Monthly; Smiths Knoll; Stride; Tears in the Fence; The Journal; Ver; Wandering Dog</em>. These poems are a reminder that all life comes at a price but that we should value that cost and the benefits that ensue. </p><p>Barrasford Young's poems are masterpieces of observation offering the reader a vivid landscape of poignant well-crafted poetry. His long time love of books and literature as a retired publisher and bookshop owner offers the reader a lens to see the world of wide experience. </p><p>This poem from the book exemplifies his wry observation empathy and descriptive skills:</p><p>The unnecessary death of an otter cub in a new hydro scheme</p><p> </p><p>Dark hydro water turbines back to light</p><p>behind my house.</p><p>At its high intake a cub caught</p><p>in unnatural rock</p><p> </p><p>fights</p><p>     </p><p>     concrete scours her cubsilk pelt</p><p> </p><p>concrete strips her skin to gut</p><p> </p><p>her bones break     her will fails</p><p> </p><p>in wild trapped water</p><p>that should have buoyed her</p><p>she fought</p><p> </p><p>and did she not feel terror</p><p>at that slow closing of body</p><p>fear the dark claws</p><p>fingering through her eyes?</p><p> </p><p>She did not know of death</p><p>but felt something fail</p><p>and found no gentleness.</p><p> </p><p>Not being aware of extinction</p><p>makes it no easier.</p><p> </p><p>Barrasford Young is at his best with his sharp natural descriptions and recreation of scene and place.</p><p>Pauline</p><p>Kirk Editor Fighting Cock Press</p><p> </p>