First off, what a cover! You could lose yourself gazing into that. Kathleen Jamie is one of my all time favourite writers, there is something about her words that just grabs me, it might be her ability to include a Scottish accent that adds another dimension to the writing, using words like “keek” and “wanchancy” are brilliant. It doesn’t matter what she writes about, cleaning whale bones, walking on the beach or geese in flight, it just works and the mundane becomes amazing.

The Bonniest Companie is a fine collection, I’m not gonna spoil things and go on and on about what the poems are about, you’ve really gotta read them yourself just to get that full experience. Check her out on Soundcloud to hear her reading a few poems. Below is one of my favourites from this book.

Thon Stane

Thon earthfast boulder by the bothy door,
Taller than a man and
thrice as broad and
older than everyone put together-
stood there in his mossy boots
like he’s just this very forenoon
wandered down the brae-
a chapman peddling bracken-besoms,
lichen-saucers
a few lampwicks of grass-
I open the door, though he gives no hawker’s cry-
just proffers his mute wares,
as he has for long enough.

Blog review can be found here> felcherman.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/the-bonniest-companie-by-kathleen-jamie/