Lizann to launch debut poetry book this week
Lizann Gorman is launching her debut poetry book.
On Friday next, Lizann Gorman will launch her debut poetry book, entitled , in the Cot and Cobble in Ballina.
The collection of poems will be launched by best-selling Irish author Faith Hogan.
The photograph on the cover of the book displays Lizann’s tattoo.
“I wanted to say that everything that happens to a person leaves some sort of mark, whether good or bad,” Lizann told the .
Lizann’s love of poetry began at a young age. Her mother always encouraged reading and frequently brought Lizann and her siblings to the library.
“I was always focused on and always interested in poems and how they can tell a little story very quickly.”
tells a wide variety of stories, from those of love to loss to hope.
Due to the interpretive nature of poetry, Lizann found it difficult to implement a categorical structure to the book.
“There is a structure; many of the poems lead into each other, taking the reader on a journey,” she explained. “That is the thing about poetry: it is very hard to put into a box.
“Poetry books are not made to be read from beginning to end in one sitting,” she added. “Every time you sit down and pick up this book, I want you to come away with a sense of soft, quiet contemplation.”
Having lived in Mayo her entire life, Lizann’s poetry is heavily influenced by the landscape of the West. Throughout her book, she makes references to Enniscrone Beach and Nephin.
“I’ve always lived in the West. It is such a beautiful area, how could you not be influenced by it?” Lizann said. "I’ve always felt drawn to the sea and I am lucky to live so near it. The [River Moy] is also such an integral part of [Ballina], it becomes part of who you are.”
When she is not writing poems, Lizann teaches English to adults with Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education Training Board. Her students often praise Mayo for its beauty.
“Because I have only lived in Mayo, it is easy for me to take it for granted,” she commented. “I try not to do that. I try not to take anything for granted. I like to see the beauty in everyday things because there is beauty in everything. If you are looking for it, you will find it.”
is not solely about nature; Lizann’s poems explore past love and painful loss. She favours short poems, as she is of the mindset that, “If you have to use too many words, you’re not using the right ones.”
“Hopefully, this is the first book of many. I have ideas for the next one already.”
The launch takes place at 8pm on Friday evening.
