Auguries, by Clea Roberts

Whitehorse author Clea Roberts newest book, Auguries, is published by Brick Books.

The title “Auguries” refers to an ancient practice of The Romans: reading the future from the sky considering the birds in the air and their style of flying. It is her second collection of poems and deals with the topics death and birth and the experience of grief and joy.

She describes the joy and love of becoming a mother in her poem “Berry Picking”: A love so big/I can only own a piece of it.

“This new collection is definitely more personal,” Roberts says. “And even though Wordsworth said poetry is ‘emotion recollected in tranquility,’ reading the poems makes me feel very close to particular moments of grief and joy.”

Writing the poetry in this collection was a healing process for Roberts. She says that writing let her slow down and “make some sense of the emotional chaos that can be present during the difficult times.”

Her poems sound melancholic and make readers think about their own experiences.

This book is a good read to take into nature; it takes us into the cycles of life – birth and death. It’s a deep read.

Clea Roberts first book of poetry, Here is Where We Disembark, has been translated into German – and recently into Japanese.

“I’m glad the book has been so well received both in the Yukon and nationally. Now I’m looking forward to writing some new poems and branching out into fiction.”

She is not sure if Auguries will be translated into foreign languages as well, but she would love to see it happen.

Auguries by Clea Roberts is available at Mac’s Fireweed Bookstore on Main Street.

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