I Hear the Trees. Untamed Poems from Mother Earth

I Hear the Trees is another lovely collection of poems from the imagination and pen of Zaro Weil with illustrations by Junli Song. After their previous collaboration in Cherry Moon and When Poems Fall From The Sky expectations will be high. Nor will they be disappointed. Taking the concept of Mother Earth, a living interactive being, Zaro takes readers on journeys that will surprise and enchant. We read a letter from a sweet potato to a worm, we follow the seasons, taste a bonanza of berries, listen to gossip in a garden, talk to the moon, wonder what an owl sees, visit Otherland. Some of her offerings cross several pages as she sets up a dialogue, perhaps between a Tyrannosaurus and a bird, others are short, perfect haikus. The language is rich and immersive, demanding to be read aloud, enjoyed for the sounds, the combinations, the images created. ‘How do flowers dance…/in a joy-shake of dazzle and flutter-fun razzle’. Alliteration abounds and the poems are often shaped to encourage the eyes to follow their path, to turn the page until the poet says stop. Accompanying them are Junli Song’s illustrations. Bold, vivid, as full of life as the words on the same page. The images are inextricably tied to the poetry whether covering the whole spread or appearing as delicate decorations in the margin. They both compliment and capture the moods, the emotions, the fun created by Zaro. Everywhere there is colour. To add to the whole there is a section at the end to provide guidance, suggestions and ideas for how to explore and engage with some of the poems. Nervous about poetry? There is no need with a collection such as this.

Read our interview with Zaro Weil.