Cynthia Jobin

Song of Paper Cynthia Jobin

Shortly before her death in late 2016, the New England poet Cynthia Jobin entrusted her poetic legacy to the UK poet John Looker who had long admired her work, along with many readers worldwide. The result is this stunning collection of her poetry.



With a fine intelligence and shining poetic sensibility, Jobin documents the joys and griefs that mark the common humanity of our everyday lives. She explores the inexplicable exhilaration and longing that love brings and courageously delineates the crushing desolation she felt at losing her lifelong partner.



The magnificent sequence of poems which close this collection trace the journey towards her own impending death and the deeply moving acceptance with which she finally faced it.



From the introduction by UK poet John Looker:



Cynthia Jobin's poetry is skilfully crafted and both erudite and accessible. She wrote about the mysteries of life, her grief following the death of her partner of 43 years, love and friendship, the joy of pets and the landscape of New England.



She also translated French poetry. There was a depth of feeling and an unobtrusive intellect at work, but equally a lightness of touch and humour. The poems in this collection show that variety of theme and equally her range of tone; she would write just for fun as well as with serious intent.