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Looking For Ireland: An Irish-Appalachian Pilgrimage
Journey from Appalachia to Ireland with Laura Treacy Bentley in LOOKING FOR IRELAND: AN IRISH-APPALACHIAN PILGRIMAGE. Both chapbook and a work of art, her book creates a seamless alchemy of elegant poems and stunning photographs. Laura is a poet, novelist, point-and-shoot photographer, and West Virginia native whose work has been widely published in the United States and Ireland. She is the author of a poetry collection, Lake Effect (2006), a novel, The Silver Tattoo (2013), and a short story prequel, Night Terrors (2015).
"In one of the poems in her luminous new collection, Laura Bentley advises the reader to find a forked branch and let it lead 'to places you've never been.' That is just what these brief, compelling poems do: They reveal fresh landscapes of thought and feeling. In our rushed and muddled world, Bentley's meditative poems are like breathing spaces---elegant, clarifying, assured."
- Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sorrow Road
"You are holding in your hand a thing of beauty. Here, indeed, Laura Treacy Bentley makes 'words flicker like flame.' The imagery of the poems is married to stunning photographs forming a perfect balance. You will be taken seamlessly on a visual and poetic journey from Appalachia to Ireland, 'to the fuchsia that bleeds on Inish Mor' and 'Blackbirds seed the summer clouds' and back again. This is a work of art that achieves what the poet/photographer strives for, 'to capture wild beauty before it takes flight.'"
- Tony O'Dwyer, co-editor of Crannog magazine (Galway, Ireland)
"In one of the poems in her luminous new collection, Laura Bentley advises the reader to find a forked branch and let it lead 'to places you've never been.' That is just what these brief, compelling poems do: They reveal fresh landscapes of thought and feeling. In our rushed and muddled world, Bentley's meditative poems are like breathing spaces---elegant, clarifying, assured."
- Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sorrow Road
"You are holding in your hand a thing of beauty. Here, indeed, Laura Treacy Bentley makes 'words flicker like flame.' The imagery of the poems is married to stunning photographs forming a perfect balance. You will be taken seamlessly on a visual and poetic journey from Appalachia to Ireland, 'to the fuchsia that bleeds on Inish Mor' and 'Blackbirds seed the summer clouds' and back again. This is a work of art that achieves what the poet/photographer strives for, 'to capture wild beauty before it takes flight.'"
- Tony O'Dwyer, co-editor of Crannog magazine (Galway, Ireland)
- GenresPoetryNonfiction
48 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2017
347 people want to read
About the author
Laura Treacy Bentley
9 books117 followersLAURA TREACY BENTLEY is a fan of Eva Cassidy, Ray Bradbury, ONCE the movie/musical, snickerdoodles, cheap red wine, and a good cup of café au lait. She'd like to be the first writer on the moon (maybe), have brunch with Meryl Streep (definitely), and take a ride around the block in a Bentley, but would settle for the hood ornament instead.
Laura's first picture book SIR GRACE AND THE BIG BLIZZARD was released in July 2020. She has also written THE SILVER TATTOO (2013) which is a dark psychological thriller set in magical Ireland. NIGHT TERRORS (2015) is the short story prequel to The Silver Tattoo. LOOKING FOR IRELAND: AN IRISH-APPALACHIAN PILGRIMAGE (2017) is an artist's chapbook of her poems and color photographs. Her latest novel (2025) is GLASS MOUNTAIN, a psychological suspense novel set in Western Maryland. She is a poet, novelist, point-and-shoot photographer, and the former book editor (“Conversations”) for WV LIVING magazine. She divides her time between the beautiful mountains of West Virginia and western Maryland.
Laura's work has been widely published in the United States and Ireland. Her first book of poetry, LAKE EFFECT, was published in 2006, and her poems have been featured on Poetry Daily, A Prairie Home Companion's website, Poetry Ireland, Crannog, and The Stinging Fly. One of her poems was chosen by the editors of O MAGAZINE, and it appeared on Oprah’s website. In 2003, Laura was honored to read her poetry with the legendary Ray Bradbury in Venice, California.
Like her Author Page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laura-...
Follow Laura on Instagram and Threads @lauratbentley
Like her Poetography page on Facebook. Amateur photos taken by a poet/novelist:
POET+ PHOTOGRAPHY = POETOGRAPHY
https://www.facebook.com/laurapoetogr...
Laura's first picture book SIR GRACE AND THE BIG BLIZZARD was released in July 2020. She has also written THE SILVER TATTOO (2013) which is a dark psychological thriller set in magical Ireland. NIGHT TERRORS (2015) is the short story prequel to The Silver Tattoo. LOOKING FOR IRELAND: AN IRISH-APPALACHIAN PILGRIMAGE (2017) is an artist's chapbook of her poems and color photographs. Her latest novel (2025) is GLASS MOUNTAIN, a psychological suspense novel set in Western Maryland. She is a poet, novelist, point-and-shoot photographer, and the former book editor (“Conversations”) for WV LIVING magazine. She divides her time between the beautiful mountains of West Virginia and western Maryland.
Laura's work has been widely published in the United States and Ireland. Her first book of poetry, LAKE EFFECT, was published in 2006, and her poems have been featured on Poetry Daily, A Prairie Home Companion's website, Poetry Ireland, Crannog, and The Stinging Fly. One of her poems was chosen by the editors of O MAGAZINE, and it appeared on Oprah’s website. In 2003, Laura was honored to read her poetry with the legendary Ray Bradbury in Venice, California.
Like her Author Page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laura-...
Follow Laura on Instagram and Threads @lauratbentley
Like her Poetography page on Facebook. Amateur photos taken by a poet/novelist:
POET+ PHOTOGRAPHY = POETOGRAPHY
https://www.facebook.com/laurapoetogr...
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 30, 2017
I love this book. The photography is stunning. Each picture has the most amazing vivid fine detail, and the poems are beautiful, descriptive and atmospheric. A really relaxing read and a perfect antidote to stress. A 'coffee table' book that I'll flick through, and soak up, time and time again.
December 5, 2017
Loved the images created by this peaceful poetry. Many are quite transporting. I found the photos a bit distracting, as I prefer to create my own imagery as I read. Nevertheless, many of the landscapes are quite lovely. With familial roots in both Appalachia and Ireland the poems whispered of home. Besides, some days you just need to pause and read poetry. It helps me breathe.
May 3, 2017
Looking for Ireland an Irish-Appalachian Pilgrimage is a poetry and photography journey that leaves you yearning for the experience over and over again. Take it from this non-poetry lover, Looking for Ireland is like stepping into a warm bath that soaks away tensions of the mind and comforts it with soothing balm. Bentley’s poems and photos resonate with human warmth. She is attuned to the poetic form and weaves words and images together in a way that bewitches and tantalizes the reader. One of my favorite poems is Dissonance, which is accompanied by a photograph of the Children of Lir, a statue that stands in the Memorial Gardens in Dublin. The poem and legend remind me of longtime memories and mysteries. I am sure I will return to the pages of this book often.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews