Hail Marys

This thought-provoking and brilliantly varied book celebrates a range of women - real and imagined, dead and alive - who all happen to share the same name: Mary.

Whether they are an historical figure, Biblical character, sportswoman, celebrity, queen, or writer, each Mary sings out from the page in her own unique way to share her story and illuminate the mind of the reader. With Whitehouse on one page, Wollstonecraft on the next, the sheer range of voices and views on offer in this slender but beautifully written book is remarkable; scientists and sinners sit alongside those who are almost forgotten, and the tales themselves traverse time and culture to explore the spark of individuality as well as the wonder of commonality.

This 'hall of fame' may be, in some cases, a hall of infamy, or lack of any fame at all, but one thing is certain - these are women who stood out, stood up, and made a difference, each in their own unique way. We invite you to 'hail' all of these Marys, as extraordinary and remarkable as they are, in poems that show women who are "discovered, found, made whole, unfurled", and who shine out with "the light of a million lamps".

"Edwards re-imagines, reanimates, reignites and resurrects, grows each Mary into something poetically special, makes each a star, allows them space on the page to shine." - Emma Purshouse

"What all of these very different women have in common is a certain strength, and it's a joy to see them given fresh voices through Edwards' sensitive yet bold language." - Kate Garrett

"In beautifully crafted poems that soar off the page, Pat Edwards gives gratifying voice to of some of history's often bypassed women who were bestowed with this name. From our present world of foodbanks to stagecoach mail, the immaculate birth to the Civil Rights Movement, each Mary stands her ground." - Ness Owen

Pat Edwards is a writer, reviewer and workshop leader from mid Wales. Her poetry has appeared in Magma, Prole, Atrium, and Ink Sweat & Tears amongst others, and in a number of anthologies. Pat hosts Verbatim open mic nights at the Poetry Pharmacy and curates Welshpool Poetry Festival. Other work includes her two pamphlets 'Only Blood' (Yaffle, 2019) and 'Kissing in the Dark' (Indigo Dreams, 2020).