Walter de la Mare (1873–1956)

A book of poems for children? Perhaps, if written by Uncle Edgar Allen Poe to niece and nephew Wednesday and Pugsley Addams 💀

While not overtly horrific, the overall atmosphere is of melancholy, loss, death, night and febrile passion.

The opening poem, The Horseman, initially reads as a bit of nonsense nursery rhyme, but then, surely, the pale rider on his ivory horse coming over the moonlit hill can be none other than Death stalking the fitfully sleeping child.

There is an excellent illustration by Emett of the gangling Thief at Robin's Castle, who steals not only Robin's silverware, but his children, whose hands imploringly poke out of his swag bag. Raised as his own, the children "never really loved him" despite his stolen riches.

I initially thought this would be a slight set of childish rhymes, but they're ageless, dark, macabre and fey, the cumulative effect being greater than the individual poems. I loved them 🖤

Sibelius's "Valse Triste" (Sad Waltz) from his score to the drama "Kuolema" (Death) catches something of the mood:
https://youtu.be/5Ls8-pk4IS4?si=isJZxdiecsifeir_… (meer)

"No breath of wind, / No gleam of sun – / Still the white snow / Whirls softly down / Twig and bough / And blade and thorn / All in an icy / Quiet, forlorn." So begins Walter de la Mare's evocative wintry poem, which captures the enchanted beauty of snowy vistas—the light and shadow, crystal flakes and powdery piles—and which forms the text of this lovely picture book. The accompanying illustrations from Moldovan artist Carolina Rabei depict a small snow-bound town, and one family's preparation for and celebration of Christmas—Santa Claus appears, in four magical pages—expanding the "story" in the poem to include seasonal observances...

The poem Snow was originally included in Walter de la Mare's 1913 poetry collection, Peacock Pie, and is one of four such selections—the other three being Silver, Summer Evening and The Ride-by-Nights—recently made into picture books featuring Rabei's artwork. The four titles together make up Faber & Faber's Four Seasons of Walter de la Mare series. Snow is the second of these books I have read, after The Ride-by-Nights, and was apparently nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal (now ignominiously renamed the Carnegie Medal for Illustration). I can certainly see why it received that distinction, as the artwork is quite beautiful. I have a weakness for wintry scenes, and Rabei more than delivers! That being said, although I loved both artwork and poetry here, I wasn't sure what to make of the inclusion of the Christmas element in the former, as I think the poem is more about the beauty of winter itself, and the mystery and majesty of snow, rather than about the holiday. I don't think this was the "wrong" choice, as I did love the Christmasy scenes, and for many people winter is tied to the holiday, but I did find myself wondering what else could have been depicted, if the choice has been made to create a "simple" winter book. Leaving this quibble aside, this is nevertheless one that I would recommend to picture book readers and listeners, who enjoy poetic picture books and/or stories about winter wonders.… (meer)