Lewesdon Hill, with other poems

A walk up Lewesdon Hill on a bright May morning opens the collection, inviting listeners to share the poet’s reverent view of the Dorset landscape. The verse moves from the concrete details of the hill’s shape and the sea‑marks that guide sailors to broader meditations on nature’s grandeur and the human spirit’s search for calm. The poet’s voice blends pastoral observation with a reflective, almost devotional tone, making the hill a doorway to larger, timeless ideas.

Beyond the title piece, the volume gathers a lively assortment of shorter works—odes to muses, elegies for lost friends, sonnets that echo Petrarch, and lively epigrams on contemporary events. Classical allusions appear in translations of Lucretius and Greek inscriptions, while occasional poems celebrate academic ceremonies, political moments, and personal dedications. The accompanying notes illuminate obscure references, offering a helpful guide for modern ears without detracting from the poems’ lyrical charm.