Paths and Digressions by Tony Earnshaw
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Tony Earnshaw writes:
"The life of a writer is fraught with digressions, many of them welcome and this collection represents something of the path I’ve been on over the last few years, and some of the digressions along the way. In my case the digressions and diversions include play and novel writing and putting this collection together has itself been a digression from those paths.
 
I have been a member of Mole Valley Poets for a number of years now and their encouragement, insights and friendship have been invaluable, as have the opportunities to share work in progress and to access an audience at open mics, readings, and, in recent times, over Zoom. As a result of the involvement of some of those Mole Valley friends I have also developed an interest in Japanese poetry forms and I have chosen to introduce each section of this collection with a haiku.
 
I have found the pandemic and lockdown to be a time of creativity, in both my theatrical activities with Damn Cheek Productions and in poetry. I owe much of this, as so much else, to my wife Estelle who encourages, challenges, and also puts me straight on the details I tend to miss – as an artist, she’s much better at the visual side of things than I could ever be."

"This is a lovely collection of poetry divided into six sections. Each one asks, “What’s it all about?” Tony Earnshaw paints moving life pictures using simple direct language that examine childhood, faith, war, wealth and all the idiosyncrasies of modern life.  These are poems to read again and again, each time digging deeper into how little we actually know about who we are and why we are here."
      Lynn Ruth Miller – author of ‘Getting the Last Laugh’

"I absolutely loved this collection of poems. Diverse and refreshing, at times sad, often joyful, but always thought-provoking. From the elegant Castlerigg to the hard-hitting Abdullah, the provocative Beyond to the heartbreaking  I encountered death early, and the humorous Fox to the shocking Duck Shooting — 'Paths and Digressions' is a remarkable collection of poetry, taking the reader on a journey through life, love, religion, politics, and ultimately humanity. And the clever opening haikus are an added bonus!"
      — Steven Hayward, author of the Debt Goes Bad series of thriller novels (StevenHaywardAuthor.com) He is also the proprietor of Eden Park Publishing,  (EdenParkPublishing.com)

Cover image: 'The Path', an original watercolour painting by Estelle Earnshaw

​ISBN: 978-1-913329-41-9
2021
Paperback, 148 x 210mm, 104 pages
​RRP: £10.00

​Tony Earnshaw is a novelist, poet, librettist and playwright whose novel Blessed Assurance was published in 2019 and whose plays have been staged around the UK and off Broadway.
 
Tony is heavily involved in Zoom theatre and in large scale community theatre projects, as well as Mole Valley Poets, Mole Valley Scriptwriters, Bristol based Arts company Terrestrial, and theatre company Damn Cheek Productions CIC. In his spare time he plays sax with the Greensand Band and sings with Brockham Choral.