Wounded Deer
Roger Turner
ISBN 9781068488337
 
In Wounded Deer Roger Turner explores themes of love, travel, trauma, the passing of time and even considers whether you can write a meaningful poem on the subject of Nothing. His travel poems range from the Fairy Glen in North Wales to remote corners of Piedmont in Northern Italy, from the prairies to ‘the lonelier lanes that lead beyond Exit 13’ of the M5 motorway. Turner's love poems include a new take on ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ and a poem about two bright green members of the beetle family which the poet sees ‘enjoying ecstatic sensations of union’ on the lid of his wheelie bin.

‘Turner is that not-often-found-thing, a master of the sentence. His are like Hopkins' weeds: long, lovely and lush.’ (U. A. Fanthorpe)

‘By turns, thoughtful, observant, erudite, wry and witty, Roger Turner's poems move between celebration, gratitude and acceptance of life’s blessings and tribulations. He is a poet of lyrical depths in his responses to time passing and mortality. Turner considers past, present and future and the consolations of art, as well as the natural world which he scrutinizes with tenderness and understanding.’ (Duncan Forbes)

‘Roger Turner's poetry is sensitive to the tones of a mountain's shadow and of the wild flowers it presents with tender precision. These poems are marked by gentle humour, yet keen observation. His work honours the grandeur of music and forgives the rain. This is a poetry which says “Yes”.’ (Alison Brackenbury)