‘A rare illuminated atmosphere’: Simon Armitage unveils new EP and poetry book ‘Blossomise’

Poet laureate’s band LYR share new single ‘Folk Song’, lyrics for which have been printed in Armigrage’s book of poems and haikus

LYR (Simon Armitage centre) have released a new EP, ‘Blossomise' (Bjorn Franklin)

Poet laureate and musician Simon Armitage has announced a new five-track EP, Blossomise, released with his band LYR.

Comprising Armitage and bandmates Richard Walters and Patrick J Pearson, LYR will release the songs as the result of an 18-month collaboration with the National Trust as part of its annual blossom campaign, with lead single “Folk Song” released today (Thursday 21 March).

Armitage will also embark on a six-event tour across England and Northern Ireland, offering two poetry readings and performing four dates with LYR.

Tickets are on sale now and available via the National Trust website.

The Blossomise campaign seeks to build bridges between communities and nature “in a time where many can feel disconnected” from the natural world.

“Blossom is an extraordinary emotional milestone every year, a moment of illumination and resurgence after the dark winter months,” Armitage said in a statement. “Increasingly, we have seen that poetry is resonating with people from across the generations and from many different walks of life, not least when it shades into musical territory and performance.

“As such, this feels like the right project at the right time, designed to amplify the joy of blossom, encourage people all over the country to feel inspired by nature’s resilience, and to welcome the coming of spring.”

Blossom in the garden at Chirk Castle, near Wrexham. Cooler temperatures and rain have tempered the early spring in much of the country (National Trust Images/Lois York/PA Wire)

Armitage is also releasing a book of the same name featuring a series of poems and haikus inspired by the blossom season, along with the lyrics to the five songs, via Faber in celebration of World Poetry Day (21 March).

You can read an exclusive excerpt, the lyrics to “Folk Song”, below:

Folk Song

You lost your sparkle at the fair,

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

watched every petal disappear/ among the glamour and the glare and dodgem cars/ and flying chairs and candy floss and dancing bears,/ the goldfish and the silverware.

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

Glitz and glitter in the air/ but blossom neither here or there.

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

The woods beyond were sparse and spare,/ the branches empty-handed, bare,/ no glint of blossom anywhere.

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

You walked the planet for a year,/ slept in the jaws of winter’s snare,/ knelt at a campfire like a prayer.

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

Then woke one morning in a rare illuminated atmosphere./ The trees wore flowers in their hair,/ and on the hill you stopped to stare/ at blackthorn, apple, cherry, pear, as blossom blossomed everywhere/ and everywhere and everywhere.

apple, cherry, blackthorn, pear

Blossomise is out now via Faber, the EP of the same name is also available via all major streaming platforms.