posted on 10 Jun 2025

Spring: Poems by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrations by Rosamond Ulph

Sometimes the word ‘book’ is simply an inadequate one to describe what is in reality a three-dimensional work of art. This is the case with this collection of poems, Spring, by Kevin Crossley-Holland that is superbly illustrated by Rosamond Ulph.

So, what elevates it beyond simple book status? Well, there’s the symbiotic relationship between words and illustration but it's also the way these are presented – the sensuous feel and smell of beautiful paper, the choice of typeface, the binding – all raise the book to the status of a work of art.

The book, published by Orphean Press, tells us all we need to know about the technicalities:

“Typreset in 16-on 21 ITC Golden Cockerel and printed in Great Britain by Peter Newble…..

Printed on 150gsm Munken Design Pure Rough Cream supplied by Denmaur Independent Papers…”

But fascinating though this is for a book-lover like me, I acknowledge that for most people, this detail will pass them by. What they will remember, however, is how the book feels in the hand, pleases the senses and thrills your eyes.

And the poems? Well, here are 16 short poems all themed around the word and sound of the word, 'spring'. Sometimes the poet is just having some unadorned fun with the word, bouncing it around:

“Spring-loading, springboard,

springwatch, spring flood…

Wings thrashing

in a quiet wood”

As you might expect, the ‘miracle’ of nature is everywhere here but not to the exclusion of the modern world. The awesome presence of technology is here too in ‘Wind Turbines’:

“Scimitars, swivellers.

always rounding to face

their calling head on.”

It’s also a paeon of praise to Crossley-Holland’s own beloved Norfolk, which he embraces in ways that brought to mind Dylan Thomas’ delight at wandering his hills of home. 

The poem ‘Wheel of Norfolk’ ends:

“Chalk Hill. My hub, still and turning. And here

this spring morning I’ll map my wheel of Norfolk.”

In this I can't help but hear an echo of Dylan Thomas from his  ‘Poem in October’ 

“O may my heart's truth
Still be sung
On this high hill in a year's turning.”

The collection also contains poems that are an exploration of faith – The Heart in Waiting and Jesus Springing – that elevate the experience of nature to the religious and transcendental.

And the artwork? Each poem is accompanied by its own illustration from Rosamond Ulph, a painter, printmaker, calligrapher and botanical illustrator. Her work for this book picks up on the heart and spirit of the poems and provides the words with an added dimension. It’s hard to capture their often-enigmatic beauty of each individual piece in a review of this kind – its power lies in your own experience of them.

There is a limited, signed print-run on only 200 – so if you want one, you need to move quickly. The book can be ordered directly from Kevin Crossley-Holland’s website on this link https://www.kevincrossley-holland.com/product/spring/ .

 

Terry Potter

June 2025