ELIZABETH SMITHER–– A GRANDMOTHER’S POEMS

  

“Some names attract songs and some don’t.

Ruby, everything’s fine in the music line.”

Ruby Duby Du is a suite of 28 delightful poems written by Elizabeth Smither for her granddaughter, Ruby. They begin with conception and end with a family gathering where Ruby counts stars. They progress through an amusingly competitive grandmother and grandfather, sleeplessness, an heirloom dress and Ruby at an Italian restaurant where she takes a bite out of a polystyrene pillar – the day to day life of a little girl and her grandmother. 
Elizabeth Smither, who has been New Zealand poet laureate, Hon D. Litt (Auckland) and winner of the Prime Minister’s award for Literary Achievement in Poetry 2008, says that none of these compares with being a grandmother.

Ruby Duby Du, a 40 page chapbook from Cold Hub Press, also features 7 small watercolours by Kathryn Madill, a printmaker and painter who occasionally strays into the world of publishing with an image or two.

Ruby @ four months wakes at night

Some babies sleep through

but not you, Ruby.

Our fault for telling you

all the songs that contain a Ruby

partying

Ruby Red Dress

Ruby Soho

Thru the Eyes of Ruby

Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby’s Arms

Ruby O Ruby

Ruby Baby

Ruby Duby Du

© Elizabeth Smither

Ruby Duby Du, Elizabeth Smither, ISBN 978-0-473-26830-5,

Softcover chapbook 40pp, RRP NZ$19.50

The COLD HUB PRESS website is being redeveloped at present,

but copies of this title may be obtained from good booksellers,

or ordered from coldhub@gmail.com or from Cold Hub Press,

PO Box 156, Lyttelton, 8841