Design of Wings, The

This deeply moving, lyrical sequence chronicles a mother’s realization that she can no longer keep her physically disabled son at home. That, bluntly put, is the “story” of these ten poems; however, it gives little sense of the breadth of their embrace or the beauty of their voice. These poems are lamentations, but they are more so celebrations of resiliency, courage and love, of the unshakeable bond between parent and child.

Lehr writes with a sure and accomplished style informed by wide and eclectic reading – Neruda, Yeats, the Bible – which she makes distinctly her own. This sequence also forms part of Lehr’s first full-length volume of poetry, The Sorrowing House, which appeared from Brick Books shortly after the publication of the chapbook and which was short-listed for the Savage First Book Award (one of Eastern Canada’s Atlantic Book Awards).

Typeset by hand in 12 pt Fournier; includes a print from an original image by Catherine Reader. Typesetting, presswork and binding by Marnie Parsons.

(Photo is of out-of-print fine press edition; credit: Ned Pratt)