A rare new book of verse from one of the most recognized and distinguished names in Newfoundland poetry and drama.

This intimate new collection by a beloved poet at the height of her craft draws from myth, folklore, local history, and the unique dialect of Irish Newfoundland. Considering the permeable barrier between inside and outside, between self and world, the deceptively-simple poems of The Wind Has Robbed the Legs Off a Madwoman convey wisdom and a profound depth of perception in their evocation of beauty, illness, vulnerability, and place. Walsh’s voice is indeed so distinct that if one were walking down the street and a page from this book blew around their feet, they would know after only a few lines that it was the work of Agnes Walsh.

Poet and playwright Agnes Walsh was born in Placentia, Newfoundland. She has published three previous collections of poetry: In the Old Country of My Heart (Killick Press, 1996), Going Around with Bachelors (Brick Books, 2007), and Oderin (Pedlar Press, 2018). Her work as founder, artistic director, and writer for the Tramore Theatre Troupe (1999–2012) won her the Newfoundland and Labrador Hospitality Award. In 2011, her collection of plays Answer Me Home was published by Breakwater Books. She was the inaugural poet laureate for the City of St. John’s from 2006 to 2009 and was awarded the 2020 Hall of Honour Award from ArtsNL.

Agnes Walsh's profile page