Rain Spill is the debut solo collection of poetry and prose by Jenni Doherty, published by Guildhall Press, and supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Jenni is a native of Greencastle, County Donegal and is now based in Derry. You will find her on the occasional Saturday night by the fireside in the Squealin Pig alongside my good self.
In this work she creates the illusion of a water dance through the use of Rain, Ocean, Mist, Fog, Frost, Storm, Snow and Rainbow as metaphors which capture a sense of place and belonging, of experience and emotion, of life and lessons learnt.
Some pieces have evolved naturally while others have been created for the purpose of live performance or as topical commentary for broadcast or newspaper. Tender, light and humorous in places yet coarse, raw and unforgiving in others, this is a spill of thoughts, imaginations, fictions, ideas and realities gathered over four decades.
There is a very strong sense of locale in this collection. The poet is clearly rooted in her homeland. This is very evident in her piece Village Buttons. Here she is taking us through her journey in childhood, adolescence and a return in adulthood to her home village. Doherty’s use of poetic language in this prose is magical. She manages to pull the reader under her spell on reading it. We feel that we are actually there with her and her family and friends.
In Are We History we see a love story grow and then fall. We get an insight into the streets of her city and she successfully incorporates the troubled city life with the flagging love life.
Twin Peeks is dedicated to the poet’s twin brother. She vividly describes their close relationship and how life can put distance between people. Her love of family is evident throughout the work.
There is no mask on woman’s life in Rain Spill. This is especially true in the Storm section. Here Jenni tackles some serious female issues and leaves us realising just how vulnerable a woman can be.
On a lighter note we are taken on a journey through the poets thoughts on Dublin, Derry and Donegal in the poem Breathless. She clearly loves these three places and her sense of locale is again shining thorough.
There a very real and genuine love of life throughout this collection. Jenni Doherty is certainly a young lady who loves life and lives it to the full.
If you haven’t already picked up a copy of Rain Spill you can do so at the village shop in Greencastle and Farrens in Moville.
Rain Spill is also available from www.ghpress.com and www.amazon.co.uk/shops/littleacornsbookstorecom