Sheds/Hangars  by José-Flore Tappy, translated from the French by John Taylor (The Bitter Oleander Press)

The very first lines of Sheds draw the reader into a world of exquisitely arresting imagery and musicality: “The fresh water / of your voice flows / into my thirsty throat / and the windy morning enters / the smoothly combed sky /…/ atop the highest branches / where the magpies hop about /…/ Luminous scissors cut through the darkness,” making the ordinary appear as precious as it is “wobbly” and puzzling. With his skillful translation, John Taylor introduces English readers to the artistry of this Swiss francophone writer with a bilingual publication of her six of poetry series in versions that sparkle and haunt. Excellent, too, is the keen interview with the poet which concludes the book and enriches our understanding of these subtly lyrical and emotionally acute collections of verse.