Introduction to Christina Pugh's Poetry
Apocalyptic writing has always grappled with the question of what language can reveal when the world seems on the verge of collapse, a theme that also drives poetry.
In her collection "The Right Hand", Christina Pugh transforms this ancient tension into an inquiry of both spirit and body, inheriting the intensity of "The Book of Revelation" while moving through the material world.
To yield is a power
Her poems bring an alert and visionary calm to the concept of apocalypse, turning it into an opening rather than an ending.
According to French philosopher Gaston Bachelard,
to read poetry is essentially to daydream, joining reality and imagination into one deep current, a concept that is evident in Pugh's work.
In "The Right Hand", this current runs through each poem, breathing the ache of revelation into ordinary matter, such as needles, basil leaves, marble, and skin.
Author's summary: Christina Pugh's poetry explores the power of language.