The Darkness of Snow

Overview

Frank Ormsby's poetry is deep but never sententious, exhibits great technique but never flaunts it, is of the moment but never trendy. In his most recent volume, The Darkness of Snow, we see memories of his youth in Fermanagh as well as poems of adult years in Belfast, reflecting on the aftermath of the Troubles and the city's restoration while commemorating a life lived in poetry. This collection also includes a sequence that meditates on the art of Irish painters, followed by a series of Parkinson's Poems. Finally, we encounter poems on the atrocities of a village called "The Willow Forest," told by one of the interpreters who understands the difficulties of bearing witness. As the title suggests, this volume is both luminous and dark.

Author Biography

Frank Ormsby was born in 1947 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and was educated at Queen's University in Belfast. He has published six volumes and served as the editor of The Honest Ulsterman from 1969–1989, which was known for creating an intelligent, safe harbor for writers during the height of the Troubles. He currently co-edits the poetry journal The Yellow Nib.