shades of blue is an invitation to be present to life. By turns mischievous, meditative, melancholy and ecstatic, this short collection celebrates the natural world and the mixed and marvellous experience of being human. Though shades of blue features a variety of forms and moods, it is unified by the characteristic Crispin qualities of passion, precision and tenderness. Acutely sensitive to both exterior and interior landscapes, she writes vividly and with authority. Here, as throughout her work, Lucy Crispin honours the truth of the heart, the life of the spirit.
Reviewers on shades of blue:
“Lucy’s poems are intensely rich interior landscapes, finely and vividly observed… a piercing insight into life’s episodes set against the beauty of the natural world.”
— Roger Iredale
“Lucy Crispin would make a brilliant scene-of-crime officer, because she notices everything, and understands its significance. And there’d be nothing second-hand about her report to the CID, either, for she uses language with a vigour and freshness that puts one in mind of Dylan Thomas or Gerard Manley Hopkins… Crispin has a dazzling gift for representing her subjects. Situations,things, nature, atmosphere, all come to life eagerly from her pen…. There’s nothing contrived; she’s always fresh and apt… And the human condition? She writes with equal delicacy of what lies under the skin, what moves the human heart. Such gifts are rare, even in the world of poetry. I certainly look forward to more of her work, which deserves to be far better known.”
—RV Bailey
“This collection, with its beautifully described, precise imagery, draws you in to moments and scenes and senses: shape, texture, colour are here in abundance. The language… has a wonderful music. So many different moods here—joy, anger, mischievousness; and an invitation fully to enter my own world, parallel to the poems’, with the reminder that the only time we have is now.”
—Jeff Cowton, Head Curator, Dove Cottage
Prices, with first class UK p&p (click to Pay via Paypal):*
- the book as it comes, together with some beautiful shades of blue postcards: £9.50
- signed, with a dedication of your choice, and some postcards: £11.00
- limited special edition, signed, dedicated and annotated by hand, accompanied by some photos of the places which inspired the poems as well as the shades of blue postcards: £16.00
- e-version, available from Hedgehog Press directly on this page: £3.99
Please note: the special editions will be individually made to order, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer for those!
You can also have bundles:
- shades of blue and wish you were here: £12.00
- shades of blue and wish you were here, each signed and dedicated: £13.50
- special edition of shades of blue and signed wish you were here: £19.00
We can talk about a discount for a bulk purchase if you’re looking to buy a few, because postage will be different. For international postage, I’ll check how much it would be and let you know.
* Once you’ve paid, use the contact form to give me your Paypal transaction ID, your name and address, and info about about what you’ve paid for, plus the words of any dedication you’d like (if applicable). Or get in touch if you’d prefer to pay by transfer or cheque.