Cold Night Lullaby

by Colin Mackay

Genres: Poetry

87 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I asked for Colin Mackay's Cold Night Lullaby for Christmas because of Karine Polwart's song, Waterlily. It's a beautiful song, and one that has been known to make me cry -- based on Colin Mackay's writing about his experiences in Bosnia, about the woman he loved, Svetlana. I couldn't tell you about the really technical merits of the poetry right now, but the images are so vivid, searing. I doubt I can ever, ever listen to Waterlily again without crying. Especially when I know what Colin Mackay went on to do -- how he killed himself, so very, very methodically.

Reading around a little, I can see that there are some questions about geography/chronology in these poems. I wouldn't be surprised by some fictionality, or inaccuracy due to how confusing and bewildering living through something like that can be, how destroying, but I think that Colin Mackay probably believed every word he wrote -- and that's what matters.

[Adrienne Crockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book about 16 years ago after hearing the story at a Karine Polwart concert. Her song Waterlily tells the story of love and loss. The book is beautiful and extremely sad especially when you know that Colin subsequently took his own life. I recommend this book as yet another example of the futility of war and man’s inhumanity to man. I also suggest listening to Waterlily.