Today the Birds Will Sing by Helen Burke, edited by Jamie McGarry Carcanet Completely unique

Completely unique

Michael Longley and Carol Rumens

‘Aifreann na marbh’ [Mass for the dead] have not previously been available in English

‘One of the fascinating aspects of this anthology is to note the cross currents and influences that have shaped the poetry included in it and to see how a legitimate desire to preserve one’s roots does not necessarily cut one off from the wider world

Today the Birds Will Sing by Helen Burke, edited by Jamie McGarry Carcanet Completely uniqueSince the late 1970s, Helen Burkes poems have appeared in pamphlets, on greetings cards, on pieces of origami, on radio, on tape, on CD, on the side of stray dogs and in a million other places including, more recently, two collections from Valley Press. After a years work tracking them down, typing them up, and putting them into a sensible order, were delighted to present Today the Birds Will Sing; a comprehensive, exhaustive treasury of Helens