Description
‘Apple Water’ is a small collection of poems and short prose based on Raine’s Romany family who amongst other things picked fruit, vegetables and hops in both Herefordshire and Kent. Many of these poems have been inspired by actual events, personal stories and photographs, as well as the inclusion of ‘found’ words which help to bring the characters to life. Raine uses Romani language (jib) to add authenticity to the life of the Travelling people and has woven it into the collection not only to honour these folk but to create new and innovative forms of poetry, combining both the old and new.
“These are poems of Roma memory and survival brought to life through beguiling lyric and dramatic telling. They bring a way of living, of thinking, listening, and seeing, into immediate and natural focus.”
– David Morley, winner of the Ted Hughes Award for New Poetry
About Raine Geoghegan
I was born in the Welsh Valley’s, my mother was a Romany traveller from Middlesex, my father, a Welshman from Aberbargoed. I began dancing from an early age and loved all things theatrical. I worked as an actor, dancer, choreographer and workshop facilitator. I founded Earthworks, a women’s theatre company in 1993 and went on to direct plays and musicals. Following an accident and a long spell of chronic illness I turned to writing. I completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester in 2015. My passion is poetry but I also write short prose, monologues, articles. I have also written a full length children’s play and an experimental piece based on the life of Wangari Matthai called the Tree Woman.
For the last eighteen months I have been writing poems, prose and monologues based on my Romany family, much of which has been published in journals and The Travellers Times. I have also been featured in a film called ‘Stories from the Hop Yards’, part of a project based on the photography of Derek Evans, filmed by Catcher Media. My debut pamphlet Apple Water – Povel Panni was launched in November 2018. It was previewed at the Ledbury Poetry Festival on July 3 2018.
Product details
- ISBN-10 : 1999640233
- ISBN-13 : 978-1999640231
- Paperback : 36 pages
- Product Dimensions : 14.81 x 0.23 x 21.01 cm
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‘Raine Geoghegan catches the spirit of things; she is a poet who is deeply attuned to the voices of both past and present. These are poems which are together penetrating and generous-hearted, like the evening song of a blackbird.’ – James Simpson, Poet, Jerwood/Arvon award winner with two poetry collections,’ Hunting the Wren’ and ‘The Untenanted Room’.
‘The old language in a modern contemporary voice. I loved the poems.’ – Frances Reilly, Welsh Romani Poet and Filmmaker.
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