Ten Poems from the Lake District

This addition to our series of UK regional titles brings the drama and beauty of the Lake District landscape into glorious focus. We encounter dry-stone walls, sublime heights, lakes (of course) and experience an evening dip in the cooling waters of a tarn. The selection wouldn't be complete without a poem by Wordsworth who captures the tranquillity of a quiet valley in a moment of typically blissful contemplation: ?A soft eye-music of slow-waving boughs, Powerful almost as vocal harmony stay the wanderer's steps and soothe his thoughts.? - from 'Aira Force Valley' by William Wordsworth The double-edged sword of tourism is also present in a sonnet which imagines what this most famous of Lakes Poets would make of the world of postcards and car parks. The poem's conclusion is a reminder that the sublime will outlive any human interference. Polly Atkin is a poet who lives and works in the Lake District. Poems by Polly Atkin, Rachael Bates, Paul Farley, Katie Hale, Matthew Hollis, Eileen Pun, Tom Rawling, Reshma Ruia, William Wordsworth and David Wright. Cover illustration by Mark A Pearce.