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The Learned Goose
The 'learned goose' was a touring sensation in the 18th century: a goose that could predict the future, tell the time and read you like a book. Confronted with such a spectacle, a crowd's reactions would be a mixture of hope and cynicism, suspicion and wonderment, with a healthy dose of knowing wit and humour thrown in for good measure. Jo Brandon's first full-length collection of poetry, named after the infamous goose, argues that these are the ideal attitudes to take when viewing our world – both as it is, and as it was. From the garden of Eden to the summer of '56, from the courts of Ancient Greece to those of 19th-century Britain, each poem places the reader somewhere unexpected, and proceeds to show them wonders; with unrelenting perceptiveness, empathy and intelligence. A must-read volume for all fans of contemporary poetry.
64 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2015
About the author
Jo Brandon
6 books1 followerJo Brandon was born in Essex in 1986, raised in rural Lincolnshire, she went on to study Creative Writing at the University of Leeds graduating in 2007.
Her debut poetry pamphlet, Phobia, was published by Valley Press in January 2012 and her first full-length collection, The Learned Goose will be published by Valley Press, Winter 2015.
Her poetry, short prose and non-fiction writing have appeared in a variety of publications including Poetry Review, Butcher’s Dog, Dream Catcher, Mslexia, Aesthetica, Cake and Cadaverine. Between 2008-11 Jo was an editor for Cadaverine Magazine.
Jo has also undertaken writing residencies with the I Love West Leeds festival and a writer’s development residency with the West Yorkshire Playhouse funded by the BBC. Jo also organises and delivers poetry workshops for young people and adults and enjoys organising and performing at literary events from localised open mike nights to national Literature Festivals. During Summer 2012 Jo was a Young Producer and Events Co-ordinator for Poetry Parnassus (part of the Festival of the World 2012) at SouthBank Centre.
Jo has also worked for a number of fantastic arts organisations including the Koestler Trust, the Poetry Society and the Poetry School.
Her debut poetry pamphlet, Phobia, was published by Valley Press in January 2012 and her first full-length collection, The Learned Goose will be published by Valley Press, Winter 2015.
Her poetry, short prose and non-fiction writing have appeared in a variety of publications including Poetry Review, Butcher’s Dog, Dream Catcher, Mslexia, Aesthetica, Cake and Cadaverine. Between 2008-11 Jo was an editor for Cadaverine Magazine.
Jo has also undertaken writing residencies with the I Love West Leeds festival and a writer’s development residency with the West Yorkshire Playhouse funded by the BBC. Jo also organises and delivers poetry workshops for young people and adults and enjoys organising and performing at literary events from localised open mike nights to national Literature Festivals. During Summer 2012 Jo was a Young Producer and Events Co-ordinator for Poetry Parnassus (part of the Festival of the World 2012) at SouthBank Centre.
Jo has also worked for a number of fantastic arts organisations including the Koestler Trust, the Poetry Society and the Poetry School.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 29, 2022
A remarkable first poetry collection by a new poet to me but who, through this first collection that I have read, has intrigued me with her mix of down-to-arty observation and macabre fascination, wit with wicked word-play as we are introduced to ‘The Learned Goose’ which once told fortunes, the new life interpretation of ‘The Hanged Pigeon’ and ‘Girlguiding’.
I found this book yesterday in a National Trust secondhand bookshop at Hidcote in Gloucestershire and, as it was there, bought it for today’s poetry book for #thesealeychallenge and a really good decision that is. There were several other poetry books I could have chosen but this one felt right, perhaps the quality of the cover, the image caught my eye, the words in ‘praise’ of the collection, which I have really enjoyed reading.
There is a freshness about Jo Brandon’s writing, sometimes crystal clear, often needing a second taste to fully appreciate the flavour of her words: in ‘Peeling’, she tells us that we ‘know what to expect’ and tells us anyway of the unexpected of ‘a stain of half-imagined farms and / untrod fields in the sink’; continuing to keep us grounded from magic in ‘First-footing’ when luck is in question ‘for fear ‘knocking on wood’ didn’t work on MDF.’
Considering I found this book by luck in the chapel bookshop at Hidcote, whether helped by wood or MDF, ‘The Learned Goose’ is a splendid addition to my growing poetry library and Jo Brandon a poet I’d like to read more from. Perhaps Jo’s second collection, ‘Cures’ should be on my list for a future read.
A great collection!
I found this book yesterday in a National Trust secondhand bookshop at Hidcote in Gloucestershire and, as it was there, bought it for today’s poetry book for #thesealeychallenge and a really good decision that is. There were several other poetry books I could have chosen but this one felt right, perhaps the quality of the cover, the image caught my eye, the words in ‘praise’ of the collection, which I have really enjoyed reading.
There is a freshness about Jo Brandon’s writing, sometimes crystal clear, often needing a second taste to fully appreciate the flavour of her words: in ‘Peeling’, she tells us that we ‘know what to expect’ and tells us anyway of the unexpected of ‘a stain of half-imagined farms and / untrod fields in the sink’; continuing to keep us grounded from magic in ‘First-footing’ when luck is in question ‘for fear ‘knocking on wood’ didn’t work on MDF.’
Considering I found this book by luck in the chapel bookshop at Hidcote, whether helped by wood or MDF, ‘The Learned Goose’ is a splendid addition to my growing poetry library and Jo Brandon a poet I’d like to read more from. Perhaps Jo’s second collection, ‘Cures’ should be on my list for a future read.
A great collection!
Displaying 1 of 1 review