The Parchment Boat

by Moya Cannon

From the back The poems in THE PARCHMENT BOAT extend and develop Moya Cannon's highly praised collection OAR. They report the findings of her ruminations at archeological sites, in her own garden, into customs, music and language itself. They continue their attention to the western seaboard of Ireland and several reflect experiences of a stay in Canada. In many of them there is a kinship with mystery, in most of them a series of surprising images registers the rich yield of half-belief and faith. They recognize, and glory in, "a pattern of life's pulls and draws."

Genres: Poetry

48 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

Reviews

[Pat Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A master wordsmith that captures my longing for Ireland.

[Lisa Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Beauty can ambush us," Cannon writes as the introduction to one of her poems in this thin, thoughtful volume. Indeed, her poems provide a lyrical tour of Irish nature and culture, peppering descriptions with Celtic words and phrases. Many of the poems spin a poetic answer to an opening question, offering a kind of dialogue that privileges the reader with insider knowledge.

[Donal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard Moya read from this. I like many of the pieces.