I'm reviewing Hymn to Equity...

 ...a fabulous new collection of poetry, dedicated to Wordsworth and written by Aria Ligi...

I'm very privileged to have received an arc copy of this collection of poetry for me to read and review.  Any views expressed here are solely my own.

Aria has visited my blog before, and you can read that earlier post Here.

Hymn to Equity is Aria Ligi’s tribute to the life and work of William Wordsworth - the greatest Romantic poet, in my humble opinion.  I’ve recited many of his verses, and I studied his work for exams.  I still have my books of his poetry on my bookshelves, and I do refer to them from time to time.  So, to be asked to provide this review is a great honour.

Practicalities first.  This is not a slim volume of work.  There are 120 poems to be read and pondered over.  And I have certainly taken my time over them all.  Helpfully, Aria has divided the complete volume into 12 sections of 10 poems each – so it is easy to dip in and out of the book as and when you wish.  Along with the words are some stunning pieces of art at the beginning of each individual section.  I was provided with an arc for this review, but rest assured, this book is so beautifully put together that I will be buying an actual print copy when it is available.  In addition, Aria includes details from Wordsworth’s life.

In each section of the book, a particular aspect of Wordsworth's life is considered in poetry.  Aria often taking on the voice of one of the key people within his circle or speaking through the persona of the poet himself.  These poems cover loss, love, relationships and many other aspects of human existence between birth and the grave.  In that respect, this volume of verse is deeply thought-provoking and questioning.  There were many times when I found myself re-reading a verse or two only to be lost in the thoughts created in my mind by the words and the imagery used.  Throughout, there are poems for and about those precious to him – his sister, his wife, his other siblings, and his fellow writers.  As with Aria’s previous volume of poetry reviewed on this blog, the language is a joy to read and the vocabulary extensive.

It’s hard to imagine an exploration of Romantic poetry without Wordsworth being a focal point.  It is also difficult to confine Romantic poetry to Wordsworth only.  Luckily, I can tell you that Hymn to Equity is just the very first book in a number of volumes entitled the Romantic Series.  Aria intends to add more volumes which will feature other poets such as Blake, Keats, Lamb, Byron, and Coleridge, to name but a few.  I am particularly looking forward to all of those future books, and I can thoroughly recommend Hymn to Equity as an excellent starting point. 

You can follow Aria on her Amazon Page, where you can find Hymn to Equity as soon as it is released.