The legend of the blemished king, and other poems

The volume opens with a strikingly ambitious poem that stretches the Spenserian stanza across forty‑eight verses, retelling the ancient Irish tale of Fergus, the “Blemished King.” In its early scenes the young ruler, marked by a mysterious scar, confronts a fearsome monster, his actions driven by a tangled mix of love and anger. The narrative weaves the legend’s vivid drama with an allegorical echo of the Eden story, hinting at a moral about the consequences of pride and redemption without revealing how the conflict resolves.

The surrounding poems turn the listener’s ear toward Ireland’s rugged coasts, rolling fields, and historic battle‑scars, each line humming with the country’s natural beauty and cultural memory. From lyrical sketches of stone‑capped cliffs to quiet meditations on pastoral life, the collection celebrates a landscape that sings through every season. Listeners who enjoy richly crafted verse and a glimpse into Celtic myth will find this anthology both immersive and thought‑provoking.