Swithering: Poems of Indecision, Myth, and the Uncertain Heart

by Robin Robertson

To "swither" means to suffer indecision or doubt, but there is no faltering in these poems; any uncertainty is not in the lines or the sounds or the images, but only in the themes of flux and change and transformation that thread their way through this powerful third collection. Robin Robertson has written a book of remarkable cohesion and range that calls on his knowledge of folklore and myth to fuse the old ways with the new. From raw, exposed poems about the end of childhood to erotically charged lyrics about the end of desire, from a brilliant retelling of the metamorphosis and death of Actaeon to the final freeing of the waters in "Holding Proteus," these are close examinations of nature--of the bright epiphanies of passion and loss.
At times sombre, at times exultant, Robertson's poems are always firmly rooted in the world we see, the life we experience: original, precise, and startlingly clear.

Genres: Poetry, Adult

84 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2006

About the author

There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads catalog. This entry is for Robin ^3 Robertson.

Robin Robertson is from the north-east coast of Scotland. His four collections of poetry have received the E.M. Forster Award and various Forward Prizes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_R...

Reviews

[Keith Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always ambitious, Robertson here does his own take on Ovid's idea of changes. A book that rewards return visits, which I have made often. Here's a thing I wrote back in the day:

https://annarborobserver.com/articles...

[Leif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Swithering on the street - its fragile pages promising much. It was wonderful. I left it in a little free library hoping that its sparrow-song might bring someone new some joy.

[Cornelius Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his day job Robin Robertson edits fiction (including that of such luminaries as J.M. Coetzee, Anne Enright, James Kelman, Adam Thorpe, A.L. Kennedy and John Banville, to whom he here dedicates a wonderful poem that takes its inspiration from Diane Arbus) and it shows in the genuine narrative thrust of the longer pieces. Swithering is a book worth reading for the two Actaeon poems alone, though there's much more to savour, including some incredibly tender meditations on fatherhood, one set on Rossnowlagh beach in Co Donegal, not a million miles from where I myself live. Finishing this I promptly ordered Robertson's next collection, The Wrecking Light.

[DilanAc · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I really like these poems. They are mostly about country life in Ireland, Scotland, a world that I don't know at all, and yet the poems are so atmospheric and strong that I feel as if I am actually missing these places, rather than just imagining them or wondering what they are like. The vocabulary (ex. the poem Sea-Fret) can be challenging. He names birds and movements of the sea that I just don't know about.
I really liked "Actaeon: The Early Years."
Some of the later poems like "Bow" and "Rainmaker" describe sex in a very lyrical way. I hope that makes some people read this book. It is really worthwhile."

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swithering is a Scots word with two related meanings: to be doubtful or in two minds and to appear in shifting forms. Robin Robertson's collection reflects both these meanings throughout. His poems are subtle evocations of human uncertainty and ambiguous nature. By turns epic, deeply sensual and mythic in scope, Swithering is a strongly felt and beautifully crafted collection.

[TheReadingDumby · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. it was pretty solid overall, with some highlights but there were quite a few poems i didnt connect with and felt like they were udnerdeveloped and overly pretentious.
personal highlights include: the death of actaeon, heel of bread, the lake at dusk, lizard, manifest and answers.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muscular aching verse. Robin Robertson brings a strong eye, ear, and heart to these poems.

[Michel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great poetry with interesting imagery, I very much enjoyed it.

[Sophia Nuñez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, eerie, sweet, striking.