Review: Night Ringing by Laura Foley

Purchase on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

This is a collection of poetry so quiet that it rings in your ears for a couple hours after. This collection is very personal, using situations most likely autobiographical, but still entirely relatable in feeling to the reader.

If you come from a dicey background when it comes to family, you will especially relate, as there are moments of cruelty and moments of love, which serves as a dire reminder of the implacable nature of family; so much pain but also a genuine acceptance. Her parents are both shown in equally unfortunate and loving lights and this  is as honest as family life can get.

The writing style and diction of this poetry was at times biting, but mostly floated along on a gentle breeze. It was incredibly familiar and conjured up strong feelings, strong images of life, ones that are precious when you take the time to look at them.

There's a strong theme of love and losing sight of love throughout the collection and the author's many different excursions with the many different people really goes to show the weight of all these experiences growing overtime, as the poems progress through time.

Overall, I thought it genially touching read and I especially enjoyed the rhythm of her prose poems. This is an excellent collection to read on a quiet day with an open heart.