Childhood Hills

by Pat Mullan

" ..evocative ..lush..poetic journey.." Diane Morgan

Pat Mullan takes us on a poetic journey through Ireland, the world and childhood. His evocative poetry creates for us lush landscapes, towering cities and weeping hearts that share the sorrow within all of us.

Relationships are key to his poetry, love, loss and remembering. I truly enjoyed his style of writing; it wasn't at all like the rhyming cliché poetry we are overburdened with as we read aspiring poets; it has a rhythm all its own; one could almost hear an Irish lilt to it.

He adds to the end of his book a section in memory of James Dickey that is poignant and stirring reminding us of the vast heritage we have of poets often forgotten.

"You will be moved to joy and sorrow" .....Anne K. Edwards

Reading this collection of poetry and writings was like holding a conversation with a very interesting person who can fascinate with a hypnotic flow of words. His muse is an old country bard who whispered secrets of the ancient days in the poet's ear. Pat Mullan has translated those secrets onto these pages.

You will be moved to joy and sorrow as you traverse the winding path over these Childhood Hills. Within these hills dwells a child who remembers the man he was, not a man dreaming over a lost youth. He still lives in the poetry contained here.

This author is a spirit freed from the fears of childhood that we all have shared, no matter what shape those fears take, what horrid dreams they inspire. If you allow him, this poet will guide you through imagery and images, familiar and strange, to a destination where understanding waits.

A poem is music of the soul that takes its inspiration from ordinary events, places, and people. It is a music you hear with your heart. I recommend you read Childhood Hills slowly and listen carefully. It will quicken the spirit that lives within.

My favourite Book of Poems, July 7, 2001, N. Ellenberger (Germany)

It's an amazing way of painting a picture from a really interesting life and Childhood of this irish author. For me it was sometimes intellectuall demanding and sometimes easy to follow. My Favourites are: 'The turning point' and 'Granny Bunty's Button Box'

John E. O'Beirne (Yorktown Heights, NY USA)

The best piece in the book is "You Always Wondered." First, because it has a very deep personal meaning for me. But apart from that it has the three necessary ingredients of a good story, a good tale, a good ballad, or a good poem of this type: Emotion, Conflict and Tragedy. These are the things that touch our hearts and humanity. They've always been so. Shakespeare always used them, as did O'Neill in spades, and on and on; no need to cite all the others here, we could start with Homer and never end. Humor helps and I got a little grin, a little smile of recognition out of never flushing the toilet, however unsanitary that might be.

So there are your four friends: Emotion, Conflict and Tragedy flavored with a little Humor. All the other are secondary; Irony, Sarcasm, Cynicism, etc. I don't know of any who wrote well ironically since WW I. But I'm just a reader.

Konstantin Chopine, (Kaliningrad,Russia) - a Russian Reader's Review

I found poems of the Childhood Hills really interesting and capturing, some being moody, but all colorful and vivid. They have just revived my long lost interest in reading literature, poems in particular

Dan Masterson, Poet:  " Highly Recommended!"
 

I found this book of poetry to be beautiful, touching, and approachable. It had me in tears, and laughing, all within the space of a few lines. It covers childhood, early working years, family, social-consciousness, etc. all from a Northern Irish perspective - but highly applicable to any life, anywhere. I highly recommend it!!