Fifty Years: Poems 1957-2007 by Knute Skinner

This book collects fifty years of published work by the American poet Knute Skinner who has had a home in Killaspuglonane, County Clare since 1964. Most of the poems were taken from 13 books that were published at two-to-three-year intervals from 1965-2005 and are divided into categories entitled “Early”, “Later”, “Fictions” and “Recent”. Reading through this collection, one is struck by his strong sense of place – particularly a sense of the North Clare landscape and community. One meets Knute's neighbours and family, learns things such as how long it takes to draw a pint of ale, and contemplates with the poet what it is like to suddenly catch oneself getting older. Highly recommended! Knute was a founding member of the North Clare Writers Workshop and edited many of its publications. He also edited a selection of writings from the workshop which we have published on the library website (including some of his own writings).