Publishing

Only the Shining Hours by Barbara Hickson

We are thrilled to see the release of Barbara’s second Maytree publication, Only the Shining Hours. Published to coincide with World Poetry Day on Thursday, Barbara will be announcing some launch events later in the year.

Only the Shining Hours hovers around light and its absence. Here are poems that bathe under the summer sun, and poems that feel their way into dark corners where secrets hide. Others weave through the colours of the spectrum, or slip between time, between worlds, between species. Together, they explore the many guises of light and darkness, encountering the shades and shadows in between.

Only the Shining Hours is Maytree’s forty ninth publication and, as many already know, it will be our last poetry pamphlet. We never say never, but sadly, due to a number of factors conspiring against us, we have had to take the difficult decision to halt publication of poetry pamphlets.

We are genuinely delighted to bow out with such a wonderful collection of poems nestled beneath a cover image created by artist, Paula Dunn. We hope you will head into our online store to explore further.

Only the Shining Hours by Barbara Hickson – Maytree Press

To help celebrate our achievements, we’re also offering many of our titles at half-price or less and if you order this week then we’ll pop in a surprise free book as well. Postage is just £2.00 regardless of how many books you order so why not spoil yourselves.

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported our venture over the last few years. We are so proud of everything we’ve achieved and amazed that there is now so much poetry that exists for future generations – all our books are held by the national libraries.

Publishing

Snowlines – Rebecca Gethin

We are delighted to reveal the cover for Rebecca’s new collection which will be released on the 2 February 2024.

Snowlines is a collection based on Rebecca’s experience of finding her family’s roots in the Ligurian Alps and where her father was a partisan in WW2.

The poems come from reflections while exploring the valley and beyond. 

Rebecca found the village where her Italian family had come from by chance (after research had failed) and subsequently learned much about the history of the area and its wildlife. However, the more she learned the more she realised that history is unknowable and depends on interpretation and point of view. 

In our shifting climate, Rebecca also documents the land and its creatures, weaving these two strands to show the vulnerability of the Maritime Alps. 

Snowlines will be available from the 2 February 2024. Cover image by David Coldwell.

Don’t forget to visit our store for those last minute stocking fillers – we’ll ensure that all orders are posted in time for Christmas.

Publishing

Out of the North – cover reveal

We are very excited to reveal the cover for Maytree 47.

Out of the North by Tracy Patrick features stunning artwork by Saltaire based artist, Paula Dunn.

An intriguing long poem sequence, Out of the North takes the reader into the horror of the First World War and the life of the Reverend Joseph Johnston who, despite his loyalty to the soldiers he served, condemned the conflict and the failure of society and religion to stop the fighting.

Out of the North will be available from the 20 October 2023.

You can find out more about Tracy here: https://www.tracypatrick.org/

And you can find Paula’s website here: https://pauladunnartist.com/

Publishing

Right of Way – Michael Brown

It’s been a while but we’re delighted to be back with news of our next publication and details of a very special limited edition of Maytree 001.

Right of Way by Michael Brown will be released on the 29 September 2023 and we can’t wait to share this wonderful collection with you.

The cover features the fabulous work of York based artist Myles Linley who Maytree readers may remember from his wonderful collaboration with Nick Allen for the collection, Between Two rivers.

In Right of Way the poems connect with the ideas of movement/change/journey and childhood to adulthood transits. Migration, the war in Ukraine, covid and anxiety in young people are featured themes in this compelling collection.

In other news, we can now reveal that our very first publication, Swn y Morloi by Hannah Stone will be reissued as a limited edition of 60 copies. Hannah will be taking the book back to Pembrokeshire on tour this autumn and a very limited number will be available to purchase through our online store from the 8 September 2023. Don’t miss out.

photography

Maytree 45 Cover Reveal

To celebrate our forty fifth publication, we are very excited to release details of a special collaboration between poet, Pauline Rowe and photographer, AJ Wilkinson.

Vestige was first conceived as a multimedia exhibition curated by Thomas Dukes at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool. Initially titled, Sleeping in the Middle, the exhibition included AJ’s photographs taken during a period when his long term relationship of 25 years was coming to an end and poems written by Pauline in response to these images.

Vestige is a continuation of this special collaborative process and continues the response to autobiographical experiences between photographer and poet.

Vestige will be published on the 30 June 2023.