Bee Travels in Dark Times

Jeni Williams is a writer, academic, and community activist, with significant contributions to literary and art criticism. She has published poetry, articles, and reviews in a wide range of magazines, including Agenda, New Welsh Review, Orbis, Planet, Poetry Wales and The London Magazine. Her debut poetry collection, Being the Famous Ones, was published by Parthian in 2009. The Bee Travels in Dark Times is her second collection.

Choose a honeyed place to make a harbour…In her second poetry collection, Jeni Williams searches for sweetness in bitter times. In an uncertain and fractured world, cities shudder to smoking ruin; the lost and confused call out across hospital corridors; and too-small shoes come apart in the rain. But, through the cracks, there are glimpses of flowers and small joys – bluebells and celandines, jasmine and honeysuckle, pomegranate syrup and cinnamon cake – a huge expanse of sky. As light emerges from darkness the characters of these poems sing out, readying themselves to begin again. Still here, and very much alive.