Seven Leaf Sermons

Author: Peter Larkin

Artist: Rupert Loydell

Publisher: Guillemot Press (2021)

Seven Leaf Sermons began as a response to a painting by the poet and artist Rupert Loydell for Stride Magazine. The rules stipulated by Loydell included that poems should consist of 15 lines, with each line containing 10 words. Peter Larkin developed his response into this 7-poem sequence, which appears here alongside the Leaf Sermon paintings by Loydell.

"Larkin is a poet alive to the beauty of sonic patterns and pairings (‘trust insurrectional’; ‘green machine’), knowing well that such lines reach in their awkward, jagged beauty beyond the mere think-able into the world of feeling, spirit and co-existence that he explores in these ‘sermons’. A great introduction to Larkin if you don’t know him, and a lovely addition to your collection if you do."

–Harriet Tarlo