Silence Fell
Silence Fell by Josephine Dickinson, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2007, is a collection of poetry that spans 69 pages. This edition marks Dickinson’s American debut, showcasing her unique voice shaped by her experiences, including a serious illness at the age of six that left her deaf. The poems are inspired by her life on a sheep farm in the northern mountains of England and reflect her marriage to a Cumbrian sheep farmer, exploring themes of love and loss through the lens of a modern shepherd’s calendar.
Readers will find that Silence Fell presents a rich tapestry of sound and rhythm, characteristic of Dickinson’s work. The collection draws from her previous writings, offering insights into her life and the profound connection she developed with her surroundings. The poems resonate with elements of European poetry, particularly reflecting influences from English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh traditions. Through her craft, Dickinson conveys a vision that is both mysterious and authoritative, inviting readers to engage with her journey and the landscapes that shaped it.
Official synopsis Publisher
A serious illness at the age of six left Josephine Dickinson deaf overnight. She nonetheless built an astounding career as a musician, composer, and teacher while also writing poetry filled with sound and rhythm. During a reading tour in England, Galway Kinnell was given two of Dickinson’s books. Her poems made such an impression on him that he passed the books on to his publisher. Silence Fell, Dickinson’s American debut, draws from her previous collections. The poems are set on a sheep farm in the northern mountains of England and tell the story — in the form of a modern shepherd’s calendar — of her marriage to a Cumbrian sheep farmer, a man more than twice her age, and their life together, until his death in 2004. As the poet Michael Donaghy wrote, “Hers is a vision edged with mystery and rendered with arresting, occasionally breathtaking craft. She bears, with no small authority, an air of independence reminiscent of Emily Dickinson.”
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