Grandmother's Patchwork

Jane Sherwin's collection reflects the long life of a woman passionately committed to humanity, in particular the needs of refugees, political prisoners and the homeless. And through her nature poems, Jane also voices deep anxiety about the damage modern technology causes the environment. Despite these concerns, she stays resolutely hopeful and the final poem reminds us of "the green world spinning in the starry heavens, / the deep seas washing tides, draining rivers, / the cloud layer and the painted skies of dawn and sunset." From the complex issues around Tahir Square to the plight of street children in India, the compassionate anger in Jane's poetry speaks truth to power. Today's news coverage is so intense and distressing that we're sometimes tempted to turn away and stop listening. But through poems like the ones in this book we are encouraged to re-engage in the fight for a fairer, more sustainable world.