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COMING	SOON
Classic Poetry For The English Lesson	Roy Gaveston Knight

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	5 - Poetry books
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Voices In The Harp  £4 ($6)  / On Disc £5 ($8.99)

We are, all of us, partly, the products of where we were born, and there is a danger that, as we age, we become trapped in the environment into which we were wombed.  "Born Welsh" can become "stage-Welsh".  The Irish, the Scots, the English can be insular or peninsular.  "I'm a local boy, bred an' born!" can mark the man who can't see beyond the Preselis. 
 

         Roy Gaveston-Knight is a citizen of wherever he is and, just now, he lives among
          the Preseli Hills.  Rapidly, he is becoming a Pembrokeshire man.  Neither born
          nor bred here, he lives, with  his wife, Mary, in what he calls, "the beautiful
          Preseli National Park".  This new environment for has been a new inspiration
          for his mental, physical and creative energy. 

          Bringing with him to Pembrokeshire his reputation as "a Warwickshire Poet"
          and his collections of verse and prose writings of a lifetime elsewhere, he spends
          hours sketching, writing, lecturing and preaching as he captures for himself
          and for others the joy that he feels in his adopted "down-below" land. 

          On my desk, as I write, I have "Blithesome Sketches" - a first edition folio "of
          specialist prints from original artworks" by Roy Gaveston- Knight. 

          In a blue folder beside it, I have "Voices in the Harp" - a collection of poems "of
          a Warwickshire poet in Wales". 

          They complement the already published "Blithe Musings" dedicated to Mary -
          "fellow rambler and boon companion" - and "Green Warwickshire", written
          and published almost 40 years ago. 

          Once a pupil of R.A. Childs, R.A., and, still an indefatigable draughtsman, this
          "retired" minister, poet, artist, is a driven man.  Taking new energies from the
          ancient hills around Tegryn that have inspired the native Welsh throughout
          their history, he just refuses to be a retired anything. 

          Younger than his years by a half a century, and with twenty years more of
          living in other places to widen his wisdom and to raise his  eyes to even higher
          hills, Roy Gaveston-Knight now qualifies for me as a Pembrokeshire poet.  It is
          a pleasure to place all the writings and drawings that he has so kindly given me
          in my growing library of the writings of Pembrokeshire people "bred and
          born". 

These anthologies of highly classic and lyrical poetry, containing 60 poems in each ebook, give graphic and penetrating pictures encompassing a wide section of North American famous beauty spots, its people and history.  There are philosophical and individual snap shots, indiginous animal studies and a fair dose of humour.
Roy Gaveston Knight is an academic artist with his pen, and great friend to America, expressing gratitude for kindness shown to the UK through past Presidents (Wagon Trails II is dedicated to President and Mrs Reagan) and their people.  A National Prize winner, with 36 firsts to his credit, this is a real poet who leaves you with a need for more.

For the aspiring poet here are 120 poems from the pens of one of todays masters, each a self-contained lesson in the use of words and verse, a key to inspiring and improving your own work.  For the widely published poet they are essential reading.

Wagon Trails I    ISBN 0 9535927 5 8   £4 ($6)  / ON Disc £5 ($8.50)
Wagon Trails II   ISBN 0 9535927 6 6   £4 ($6) / ON Disc £5 ($8.50)
 

Debonair Rhymes 
This volume alone contains 90 new poems and the  range of subjects is vast. 
 But his prodigious output does not mean a production line. These are hand-crafted verses of constant quality. 
I first became acquainted with the work of "The WarwickshirePoet" as he is called, when I was handed a book of his verse to review for a local newspaper in his adopted Pembrokeshire, and I was immediately enthralled by his poetic skill. 
So much modern poetry appears to my somewhat square perception to be, like much modern art, contrived and rather bogus. It is as easy to scatter words on a page as it is to splatter paint onto a canvas and pretend the emerging patterns are the products of original thought and inspiration rather than random arrangements which lack the skill and intellect of carefully-honedwork. 

          Roy Gaveston-Knight's poems do not require much licence. He uses words, rhythms, even that somewhat outdated, almost outlawed skill - rhyme - with great precision, affection, invention
and facility. 

I recall my delighted reaction when I first read his verse to find a poet with the kind of flowing rhythm, rhyme and respect for the appropriateness of word choice that I could appreciate and with which I could identify. 

Whimsical, wise, penetrating, lyrical - this anthology has many ingredients and is seasoned with a philosophy, nostalgia and human insight developed during a lifetime exceeding man's allotted span. The poet tunes each one to give his chosen subject a suitable pace and pattern and enhances his anthology with beautifully executed illustrations. -  Derek Rees - Journalist
Debonair Rhymes  ISBN 0 9535927 7 4   £4 ($6) / ($8.99)

Geoffrey Green - Journalist
 
 

More Blithe Musings  £4 ($6)  / On Disc £5 ($8.99)
Out of the blue one Christmas a poem from Roy Gaveston-Knight arrived on my desk. Roy had just finished reading a book on The Living Countryside that the publishing company for which I work had produced and - very kindly - he had taken the trouble to write and say how much he had enjoyed it. His thank-you letter was accompanied by one of his original poems which brought a breath of the countryside into my London office, instantly dispelling the bricks and concrete outside my window and yielding a glimpse of a greener world. I wished then that we could have found a corner in one of our books to publish the poem, but it didn't fit into the context of the practical guides in which my company specialises. So I thanked Roy for his unconventional letter - and I thought that was the end of it. To my surprise, however, Roy went on sending me a stream of poems from his fertile pen. I was lost in admiration at his mastery in such a variety of metres, and his constant ability to create the telling phrase: 'There's pride in his pulling' - how well that summons up the picture of the good old British farm horse! 
   I was honoured to be the first reader of many of these poems after his wife Mary - who
 is, I understand, a patient and constructive critic! I told Roy that I sincerely hoped his poems would find a publisher to bring them to a wider audience. That this has now happened I am delighted. I commend Blithe Musings as poems which, in their freshness and vividness, give the impression of being written from sheer delight in the  and minds of our wonderful countryside, and joy in finding the words - and the  drawings too – in which to express it. 
                                                                   Michael Davison

Tranquil Moments    £4 ($6)  /  On Disc £5 ($8.99)
This delightful anthology of poetry, by Roy Gaveston-Knight, is an important, original and timely contribution to literature today. Never has there been a more vital time for a restoration of the lost qualities of traditional poetry, which are abundantly evident  in his work. 

 The author recognises the vital importance of real and lasting values,all too often neglected in the modernist, trivial and despairing poetrybeing frequently written today, and published in avant-garde or simply low quality magazines and journals. Mr. Gaveston-Knight unashamedly occupies the traditional and lyrical high ground in poetry.  Castles, natures' humble creatures, cottages, gorges, rustic characters, and much more are represented, together with the poet's ear for beauty, and Burns-like warmth, and the regeneration of a wonderful vocabulary of the past which, until now, has been  virtually lost to present generations. Exquisite imagery and fine storytelling, coupled with variety of lilting rhythm is sometimes reminiscent of Sir Walter Scott, though Mr. Gaveston-Knight has his own unique voice. Even archaic words are deservedly reintroduced.  Many of these poems should be read aloud to ear for rhythm. Many piece champion what is considered these days as 'old fashioned' morality and spirituality, qualities that today's lost souls are crying out for, whether they recognise it or not.  Underlying many of these poems one notes the poet's genuine goodness, wit and love of life, as well as a sound and wise  philosophy. One also recognises joy in his observations of nature and  truth in his nostalgic appreciation of the past. Truth because the quality of life today has, a he recognises, declined. 

 I highly recommend this collection to all who seek true quality in their poetry reading. 

 Peter Geoffrey Paul Thompson, B.A.(Hons) M.A.(Lond),  Founder Cadmium Blue Communion of Romantic Poets,  Leader of The Romantic Renaissance.  Honorary Member Cinque Ports Poets
 
 

Carefree Rambles   £4 ($6)  / On Disc £5 ($8.99)

According to the ancient Greeks, man's greatest works of art were due to the intervention of their ten Muses, spirits who  inspired men to create wondrous objects of beauty. These mythical creatures enchanted poets and artists, and though they may have been nothing more than legends, their legacy can be seen in some of the great Muses of our times. Perhaps greatest still of all modern-day inspirations, in my opinion, is the English countryside, the subject of
Roy Gaveston-Knight's anthology..'Carefree Rambles'. 

The foundation of English poetry takes its theme from this almost miraculous grandeur we see around us every day. Over the past millennia, men such as Shakespeare and Wordsworth have
helped preserve this great tradition. It is into this long-established vein that Roy Gaveston- Knight brings his creative genius, delivering a unique blend of musing and lyrical verses which capture the imagination in a delightful clash of senses and sensuality, whilst bringing a smile and a missed heart beat at every turn. He is in direct line with Shakespeare on this late father's side incidentally, according to an old family tree. Living in the big city has its advantages at times, but as the Editor of the Coventry and North Warwickshire Journal, I had the pleasure of visiting many of the lovely areas our Author conjures up in his poetry. I can honestly say that the countryside holds a special place in my heart, for in my travels I had the rare pleasure of seeing those places of overwhelming splendour Warwickshire holds in its depths. It is often the rarer places of natural beguile that Roy captures in his writings, from those small, almost insignificant subtleties of the 'Catkin's Glamour', to the oceans of golden corn stretching around us as in 'Beyond The Arrow's Lilt'. But there is more to this English landscape than natural beauty. The rural areas of England can trace their history back to before conquering Romans landed on these shores, before the Celts invaded, before recorded history. Our rustic society is filled with  customs and traditions which have fused into the countryside a magic all of its own; a mythical power to overwhelm and capture us in its spell. The people and the small towns scattered, each represent a story or rhyme which can only be understood and interpreted by men such as the Warwickshire Poet. So it is that this book of musing encapsulates for the reader its  beauteous tracts, and warm sentiments of our wider environment  as a whole; the humorous and serious; the paradoxical intrigues of custom and lore. Here is our tradition, forgotten by many, but awoken by Roy Gaveston-Knight's glorious verse.    The tradition of the countryside does not just belong to those who live in it. We are all part of that never-ending cycle of life and death, thus with such works of poetry as this, we may once again recapture our roots, and take our place if only for a moment,  beside God in His greatest act of Creation. 

Philip Bennison  - Editor
 
 

Jaunty Rovings   £4 ($6)  / On Disc £5 ($8.99)

This new, fresh and vibrant anthology of poetry by Roy Gaveston Knight is full of originality and is a valuable addition to the literary collections available today. The author gives graphic detail to people; places and creatures great and small in his serious and humorous styles. In this latest collection we witness the traditional rhythm and rhyme so often lost by the contemporary poets of today. If you enjoy high quality rhyming verse encompassing the beauty of nature and historic detail, this collection comes highly reccomended with hours of deep meaningful, classic poetry. 

Tim Sharp, Managing Editor, Forward Press
 
 

The Temperate Bard  £4 ($6)  / On Disc £5 ($8.99)
In the late nineteenth century an anonymous anthropomorphic fox predicted his demise and the degeneration and disentigration of society throughout the country in the following verse.. 
 

'In England's ancient pulpits, 
Lay orators shall preach 
New creeds and free religion, 
Self-made apostles teach 
No word of prayer, no hymn of praise 
Sounds in the village school..' 

 'The host of golden daffodils..' and in his adopted tongue..  'Dacw alarch ar y llyn Yn ei gwch o sidan gwyn..' 

Roy has thrived on a diet of mental and physical discipline, fed and sustained by his strong Christian beliefs and the loving support of his wife Mary. Time in abundance has been his possession to achieve the many conquests in his lifetime, even conquering the summits of the highest British mountains on several occasions, and winning the highest accolades with his 
sonorous tenor voice here and over the border. There are also his fine line drawings to be enjoyed..truly a man of the arts. A remarkable man of the highest talent, but also possessing the
humility and sympathy to spend hours at the bedside of the sick and sorry. There is no stopping this creative machine. He will continue to produce work of a prodigious standard until the final full stop.  Power to his elbow..and speed to his pen.
 John G. Davies -  Retired Schoolmaster and Countryman
 

Bodleigh Feldon    £4 ($6)  /  On Disc £5 ($8.99)

Roy Gaveston-Knight skilfully uses his humour and talent to help preserve for posterity something of yesteryear - and he does it by searching deep into his memories to produce poetry, with accompanying illustrations, of the highest order. He sets the scene for this volume in the opening poem which describes the village of Bodleigh Feldon and its larger-than-life characters. His true feelings emerge in the work when he writes that .. "some of us still proudly cling to all its rural charm". 

His strength, of course, lies in the way he recaptures a time long gone, and in so doing provides an antidote to the curse of modern life and the way it has changed - the Warwickshire Poet might even say "ruined" - the treasures of our countryside. After all, when did we last see a "real" milk float operated by a genuine dairy maid in a way so eloquently described by Roy Gaveston- Kinght? In your mind's eye his words conjure up the rustic rural life that may be lost forever - except in the works of the Warwickshire Poet. This anthology is about people - genuine country characters - and places and events. And they are all so realistic that they seem to leap out from the pages. Bodleigh Feldon might be more accurately described - certainly in modern day parlance - as a country theme park, so colourful and contrasting are its many and varied inhabitants. But that is attributed to the inimitable style of the Warwickshire Poet and his method of presentation. 
Bodleigh Feldon symbolises a bygone age that we are still a part of - thanks to his special skill. His collection of 70 poems are truly an inspiration and we have good reason to be grateful to someone who has such a gift for bringing the past back to life in an easy to read and appreciative way. This isn't an example of sentimentality alone:  it is a delicious work of art. And make no mistake: Bodleigh Feldon is a village that will continue  to live on thanks to Roy Gaveston-Knight. It is the kind of community we can all relate to - through the pages of this volume, with a hint of 
nostalgia in works such as CONKER DAYS. 
     Read it, absorb it, enjoy it. 

 Colin Hughes - Features editor Western Mail

 "Prints in the Sand" is an important contribution to our present artistic writings, and may  well herald a new era in the true values of poetry.  I like his sketches too.

               Leslie Harries - Yeoman Farmer
 

Last Updated: June 18 2001