Triptych: Virgins, Victims, Votives

Sheila Martindale is poetry editor of Canadian Author and Bookman and
the author of No Greater Love.

Beryl Baigent’s work is deeply rooted in the concept of woman as earth
mother and creator, a concept supported by her Celtic mythology. Her
poems are profoundly spiritual and at the same time erotic.

This latest collection is divided into four sections: Woman as Artisan,
Virgins, Victims, and Votives. The poems in Section 1 are tributes to
various women and their chosen craft. A particularly fine example is
“The Wordwright,” which presents a female God in retelling the story
of creation and the coming of the Messiah. Other standouts include two
excellent tributes to Canadian poet Gwendolyn MacEwen, and a moving
tribute to the women of Chile whose men now live as political prisoners.


Baigent writes about women as peacekeepers and dreamers, about mothers
and daughters, about food and harvest time as a metaphor for love, and
about numerous other related themes. Her rich and multilayered poetry
makes demands on the reader (a few more footnotes would have been
helpful in places) but is ultimately rewarding.