WILD CORRESPONDINGS – an eco-poetry sourcebook by Kay Syrad & Clare Whistler (known as the composite eco-poet kin’d & kin’d), with the work of 20 contributing UK poets.

The book, which is beautifully illustrated and produced, is based on a correspondence course, ‘Connections while Solituding’, conducted by kin’d & kind during the first Covid-19 lockdown April-July 2020.

It is an invitation to readers to follow a set of letters and guidelines for exploring and writing eco-poetry whilst connecting their own natural place with Knepp Wildland through Isabella Tree’s book Wilding – an account of the dynamic restoration of a declining arable and dairy farm in West Sussex.

In the form of ‘Call & Response’ the poets were sent writing guidelines, objects and natural materials by kin’d & kin’d each fortnight: the book is a record of 20 people’s responses to those calls with heartfelt letters, extraordinary poems and visual artefacts.

‘beautiful urgent work’ (JT)

‘I feel very emotional about […] the deep beauty of the book – both in its intricate epistolary and poetic offerings, and as an object.’ (JS)

‘abundant and generous’ (CP)

Wild Correspondings: an eco-poetry sourcebook

kin’d & kin’d
(Kay Syrad & Clare Whistler)

232 pages
230 x 250mm
Elephant Press, £25 RRP
ISBN 9781916233669

Buy here at elephantpress.co.uk