If poems can save our lives; if poetry gives us oxygen in a world inundated with mass-produced verbiage; if poetry can heal where other words have wounded, and poetry can give wisdom for the perplexities of our times; if poetry can open our eyes and tune our listening and encourage our instinct to care; if all of that is true of poetry, then perhaps we should all have a portable copy of our favourite poet.
My first paperback copy of George Herbert’s poems, bought in 1981, is well worn, but still intact. It travelled on many a holiday, has years of pencil notations, and is now a collector’s item from the early Everyman paperbacks. When The Everyman Pocket Library Series came along I bought myself a beautifully produced edition. I often take it on holiday!
Camera. ✓ Walking shoes. ✓ Wallet. ✓ Phone ✓ Medication ✓ Poems ✓ Essentials for my kind of holiday. Yes, I do realise this is one of those personal preferences that should never be made into a universal rule of life for every other soul! But it does explain why I at least, think a photo of this wee book against a holiday place background is worth posting. And why on holiday, a long familiar inner text can be reassuring and replenishing company. Or so it seems to me
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