I’m delighted to welcome Lucy Crispin, former Poet Laureate of South Cumbria.

Hi Nigel

It’s great to have a space to talk about one of the poems from shades of blue. Thank you so much. I’ve chosen ‘a libation for small things’, in part because it reflects some of my characteristic thoughts and interests; in part, also, because through the pandemic I think we’ve all appreciated the ‘small things’ which helped us keep going.

Both my jobs—as poet and therapist—involve considering what it is to live happily and well. Of course, this varies from person to person—your ‘small things’ will be different from mine—but whatever the ‘things’ are, they help offset the inevitable pain of being human. Blackbird song at 5am; the unselfconsciousness of a fancy-dressed child; the fleeting beauty of changing light; the kindness of a friend: all these things can redeem a day and make it…