The Statues of Emo Court
54 pp, 17 March 2021
140 x 140 mm
ISBN 9780993172618
www.dedaluspress.com
Beautiful! The music of the lines and images so totally engrossing
The text of the short film of the same name, The Statues of Emo Court is a pocket-format, extended lyric, accompanied by the poet’s own images, an attentive looking outward at a time of loss and separation.
“Children adore them, adults seem blind,
the wildlife are all devotees:
the squirrels and beetles, the butterflies,
the crows that confer in the trees …
Spiders spinning webs in their limbs,
moss on their shoulders and knees,
as if they were dreaming, the statues of Emo
are out here to practise Tai Chi …”
***
Separation and loss take many forms but the very act of recording may itself be celebratory. In these challenging times of social distancing and travel restrictions, many of us are feeling cut off from the places we love, while others struggle to come to terms with the loss of friends and family members. The Statues of Emo Court is an extended lyric, with photos by the author, dedicated to the poet’s late mother; in celebrating a place she loved, it looks outward in a time of heartache and sees everywhere the consolation and example by which we are inspired to carry on.
The Statues of Emo Court
Published by Orange Crate Books
Distributed by Dedalus Press