Christmas Presents

It’s better to give than to receive, as the saying goes. But then, of course, there is sharing which contains a bit of both. This mini-anthology of specially-commissioned poems by leading poets captures the rich rewards of that exchange whether the memory of time spent with a loved one, the singing of carols or the magic of getting ready for Christmas morning with a young child: “We fill your pillow case with glittered jewels and illuminated texts. In the morning you wake to find a room covered with frosted leaves, berries and fairy lights.” – from ‘Midwinter Gods’ by Jessica Mookherjee There’s humour in an imagined baby shower for the new-born Christ-child, complete with a carpentry set and a bottle of pink fizz from someone who thought it was going to be a girl. Elsewhere we encounter an ailing family cat who recovers just in time to run rings around the Christmas tree. This selection will delight and entertain while also reminding us of the things that really count. Poems by Andre Bagoo, Suzannah V Evans, Mark Fiddes, John Greening, Helen Ivory, John McCullough, Jessica Mookherjee, Pey Oh, Kelley Swain and Ben Wilkinson. Cover illustration by Sarah Young.