Cultured Llama

Alexandra Loske, The Frogmore Papers 78, writes:

‘McCarthy’s third collection of poetry is a publication in collaboration with WordAid, a collection of poets who raise money for various charities. The proceeds of this excellent collection will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. There was a very personal reason for McCarthy to choose this particular charity, as is made clear in her preface, and although she assures us that these poems and prose pieces were not specifically written for the friend she lost to cancer, an intensely personal notion runs through them, with a moving note in prose of their last day out together. As with her previous works the collection is carefully arranged, with a clear sense of structure and gentle narrative within poetry. Some of the poems are necessarily intimate, such as ‘Slipping Down’, others remarkable universal, with strong, sometimes amusing imagery. Who would have thought the burnt out ruins of of a Matalan store could be compared to a carcass / of this giant industrial bird, its curved bones / bared like half-carved turkey.’

Review in Other Poetry Series Four, no.4

‘There are many skilful poems here reflecting the particularities and virtues of loved people and places. But a powerful imagination is in action too:
Her scales tear layer from layer, and she / slithers into clothing to conceal the sheen of skin: / shimmering purples, pearl and green. // ‘My God you’re cold, / as cold as the sea. My God, My God,’ he gasps, // but God can’t save him now… (‘Survival’)’

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