Greg's Book " Touch This Land " is an exquisite heartfelt collection of poetry and prose that as the title suggests, puts one in touch with the land.
Written from the true everyday experiences of a working high country shepherd from the hills of Marlborough New Zealand, this book is easy and enjoyable to read yet loses none of the depth of good poetry in its depictions of a life lived close to the land.
Share with Greg what it means to choose a life in the country working on the land in the face of growing materialism in the poem " Black Cow's Bum" . Or the slowly dwindling sense of kinship in small towns as the urban sprawl invades in. "Last Dance ". The struggle of a small calf as it fights to survive against the odds in the poem" Irish".
One of my favourites is " Jake" Greg's love and passion for his working dog that was both friend and companion and whose loss he still keenly feels.
Read by firelight with a few good friends 'Touch This Land' will transport you to that warm place in your heart where animals, mountains and close communities provide the base for living an imaginative life in all its fullness
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Its layout with prose descriptions and photographs make for an ease of reading seldom found in a book of poetry. It has been highly recomended.
What some readers have said:
" I loved the way you described each poem in prose first.It in no way detracted from the sensitivity of your verse"
"Such beautiful, sensitive writing! We love these poems - and wish we could be there in New Zealand to experience it all in person - but these sweet poems are the next best thing - thank you!"
If you have fond memories of visiting New Zealand or have always felt in your heart a longing to visit- this beautiful land- this book will provide an armchair escape to its more remote landscapes.
This book come with free shipping and is available from Etsy for US$15.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/53804279/new-zealand-poetry-book-rural-verse-from
