Happy Ending: The Collected Lyrics of Louise Imogen Guiney

The volume brings together a carefully chosen selection of Louise Imogen Guiney’s lyric poems, drawn from her earlier collections and from the pages of prominent magazines of her day. By excluding longer narratives and translations, the editor presents the most intimate, song‑like pieces that reveal her pre‑occupation with faith, longing, and the natural world. Readers will hear the echo of a turn‑of‑the‑century voice that still feels fresh.

Guiney’s verses move from solemn meditations on angels and fallen spirits to vivid scenes of storm‑tossed seas and bright, regal banners. Her language balances formal sonnet structures with a conversational intimacy, allowing images of birch trees, distant reefs, and ancient kings to mingle with personal reflections on hope and loss. The poems invite listeners to linger on the delicate interplay of light and shadow, offering moments of quiet consolation as well as a quiet, resilient joy that suggests, as the title hints, a happy ending.