Letters from Yorkshire- Maura Dooley

• "In February, digging his garden, planting potatoes, he saw the first lapwings return and came indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing as they reddened in the warmth."


  This opening line sets the scene, contrasting the physical labor of gardening with the intellectual act of writing. The “singing” knuckles personify the joy found in simple, natural tasks, even as they cause physical strain.
• "It’s not romance, simply how things are."


  The poet emphasizes the pragmatic nature of their relationship. It’s a statement that underlines the authenticity of their connection, one not mired in idealized notions of love but grounded in reality.
• "You out there, in the cold, seeing the seasons turning, me with my heartful of headlines feeding words onto a blank screen."


  Here, the poet highlights the contrast between the two lives: one engaged with nature and the changing seasons, and the other immersed in the modern world of news and technology.
• "Is your life more real because you dig and sow? You wouldn’t say so, breaking ice on a waterbutt, clearing a path through snow."


  This quote questions the notion of what makes life ‘real.’ The physicality of outdoor work is juxtaposed with the intellectual and emotional labor of the speaker, suggesting different but equally valid realities.
• "Still, it’s you who sends me word of that other world pouring air and light into an envelope."


  The letters are depicted as a vessel carrying the essence of one world to another, bridging the gap between the two individuals with tangible elements of nature.
• These quotes capture the essence of the poem, which explores themes of connection, the contrast between physical and intellectual work, and the enduring power of communication across distances.