Animaculture by Hilary Llewellyn-Williams followed her acclaimed Book of Shadows (1990). Her style is intensely lyrical and imaginative but also finely controlled and tempered by a keen intelligence. This collection includes shorter lyrics as well as two fine sequences.

There are poems here inspired by personal experience: by family, dreams and childhood memories. Others are re-interpretations of myths or historical anecdotes. Always evident is the author’s profound and passionate response to nature; these poems are steeped in all weathers and seasons. The ’Sculpture at Margam’ sequence is a series of meditations based around the history and setting of Margam Abbey on the coast of south Wales, while the five parts of ’Spring in Saskatchewan’ vividly evoke the scenes, myths and events encountered by the author on a visit to Canada.