The Ways in Which We Are Like Birds

A New Poetry Collection

My third collection of poetry is now out. Yippee! I have kept it close to my heart for years, and I’m so glad it is finally available for you all to be able to read. The cover is a gorgeous, springy yellow, and features some birds borrowed from my starling card over in my Etsy shop.

Here’s a little Q and A about the book to give you an idea of what to expect.

Can you tell us about The Ways in Which We Are Like Birds?

It is a publication of collected poems from my first two poetry releases and over seventy brand-new, unpublished poems.

Why release it now?

I have been slowly gathering poems over the years and it feels like the right time to let go of them.

Why have you chosen to include some previously published poems?

I wanted to include the poems from There You Are, as they were only available as hand-lettered images, and the line order wasn’t always totally clear. I wanted them to be available as typically formatted poems as well as the visual hand-lettered versions. I also wanted to include a few of the highlights from Voice at the Window for any readers who were new to my work.

What are your poems about?

They speak of life; the tiny moments of the everyday, and the bigger things too. They are a condensed and compressed retelling of some aspects of my life, and they speak of identity, motherhood, nature, hope, and everything else in between.

Who are your favourite poets?

I love the punch of Warsan Shire. I love the zest of Ada Limon. I love the gentle rhythm of Seamus Heaney. I love the precision of Fiona Benson. I love the reverence of Mary Oliver.

What’s next?

Well, poems take me years to write, so you can expect the next collection in ten years or so! But do look out for Christopher, Running, a novel, which will be coming out later this year.

Buy The Ways in Which We Are Like Birds!