Poetry Book Journey: 11 Years in the Making
Summary of the Article: colm Scully’s “Neanderthal Boy” Poetry Collection Launch
This article details the upcoming launch of Cork poet Colm Scully’s new poetry collection, “Neanderthal Boy,” at Cork City Library on September 25th at 6:30pm.
Key takeaways:
* The Collection’s Themes: The poems explore themes of survival, conflict, and humanity’s place in history, often through the imagined voices of prehistoric humans like neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. The title poem draws parallels between ancient struggles and contemporary global conflicts.
* Critical Reception: The collection has received positive feedback, with one review praising its ability to “undermine our self-positioning” and offer ”insight and humour.” Kinsale poet Matthew Geden describes it as “both personal and political,” intertwining past and present.
* Delayed Publication: The book took 11 years to publish after Scully’s first collection because he became deeply involved in “Poetryfilm” – creating visual interpretations of poetry.
* Inspiration for Poetryfilm: Scully’s interest in Poetryfilm began in 2011 while assisting on a film adaptation of a poem by Ian Duhig.
* Community Involvement: He has since taught film to students, including at Douglas Girls National School for the Deaf, where they created an award-winning film.
* Cover Art: The cover image for “Neanderthal Boy” is a sculpture created by Scully’s daughter for her Leaving Cert Art project.
In essence, the article is a promotional piece for the book launch, providing context about the collection’s themes, the author’s journey, and his broader artistic pursuits.