Scan barcode
A review by callum_mclaughlin
Tidings: A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel
3.0
This full-length narrative poem is told from the perspective of the Angel of Silence, who gains a voice for 24-hours each Christmas. As dawn breaks, he weaves through time and place, observing traditions that have come and gone, but primarily he watches over two people in London who are experiencing the holiday in very different ways: A 7-year-old girl full of excitement for the big day to arrive, and a 44-year-old homeless man who wanders the streets in the footsteps of an urban fox he has befriended.
The poem is admirable if heavy-handed in the delivery of its messages: that somewhere along the way, we have lost the true meaning of Christmas; that as much as it’s a time full of magic and wonder, it can also be a time of great sadness; and that through kindness and connection we can find hope.
There are a couple of nice turns of phrase, but for the most part I found the text itself very straightforward, lacking the visual flair or emotional resonance that would have made a lasting impact. As it is, this was a fine, well intentioned read, but not one destined to be a classic I’ll come back to each year.
The poem is admirable if heavy-handed in the delivery of its messages: that somewhere along the way, we have lost the true meaning of Christmas; that as much as it’s a time full of magic and wonder, it can also be a time of great sadness; and that through kindness and connection we can find hope.
There are a couple of nice turns of phrase, but for the most part I found the text itself very straightforward, lacking the visual flair or emotional resonance that would have made a lasting impact. As it is, this was a fine, well intentioned read, but not one destined to be a classic I’ll come back to each year.