Another Country: New & Selected Poems

Another Country: New & Selected Poems by Jane Griffiths, published by Bloodaxe Books on February 28, 2008, features 152 pages of poetry written in English. This collection presents a selection from Griffiths’ earlier works, “A Grip on Thin Air” and “Icarus on Earth,” alongside a series of new poems. The poems delve into themes of home, exile, and the complexities of belonging, employing precise language to convey a sense of both estrangement and connection.

Readers will find that Griffiths’ work captures the tension between love for a place and the fear of losing it, particularly in the central sequence ‘Eclogue Over Merlin Street,’ which presents a dialogue between two immigrant voices in London. One voice embraces the new life while the other grapples with feelings of displacement. Throughout the collection, Griffiths celebrates the landscapes she inhabits, reflecting on their existence independent of her observations. The poems resonate with a deep awareness of the world, exploring the nuances of settling and the emotional landscapes that accompany such experiences.