Angels and Harvesters

Harpur James

James Harpur's fifth collection journeys into realms seen and unseen, ranging from the landscapes of Ireland to the visionary realms of the mystics. Through the finely textured music of his poems, he explores emotional and spiritual intimacies while keeping a sharp observant eye on the everyday world.

In Part One, death and alienation inform poems about the war-ravaged monastery of Monte Cassino, a churchyard ghost, the sacred site of Gougane Barra and a 'leper's squint'. Part Two moves to a more ethereal dimension with lyrics about mystics and heightened states of being.

"Angels and Harvesters" displays both human tenderness and an otherworldly wonder, as Harpur continues his quest to reconcile the complexities of the human condition with a deep-seated spiritual longing.

About the Author

James Harpur has had five poetry collections published by Anvil Press and won many awards and bursaries. His latest book, "Angels and Harvesters" (2012), was a PBS Recommendation and shortlisted for the 2013 Irish Times Poetry Now Award; "The Dark Age" (2007) won the Michael Hartnett Award; "Oracle Bones" (2001) was a Tablet Book of the Year; "The Monk's Dream" (1996) includes the sonnet sequence that won the 1995 National Poetry Competition; and "A Vision of Comets" (1993) was based on the poems that won him an Eric Gregory Award. Anvil have also published his "Fortune's Prisoner" (2007), a translation of the poems of the Roman philosopher Boethius. He is poetry editor of the Temenos Academy Review and a member of Aosdana. He lives in West Cork.

Reviews

Winner, 2009 Michael Hartnett Annual Poetry Award (The Dark Age)
Commended, 2012 Poetry Book Society (PBS): Choice – Summer (Angels and Harvesters)

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