Land of Three Rivers

Edited by Neil Astley, published by Bloodaxe Books

The 2017 anthology Land of Three Rivers: The Poetry of North-East England, edited by Neil Astley, is an expansive 500+ page collection dedicated to the literary and cultural identity of the North East. The volume reflects Astley’s long-standing commitment to amplifying regional voices, tracing the region’s rich practice of poetic expression, from the early vernacular tradition of the eighth-century poet Caedmon to prominent twentieth- and twenty-first-century figures such as Basil Bunting and Sean O’Brien.

The collection features themes intrinsic to the region, carefully knitting together industrialand pastoral imagery, and dialect-driven voices. It powerfully evokes the region’s legacy of coal mining and shipbuilding, situating working-class experience alongside the dramatic landscapes of Northumberland, and the Tyne, Wear, and Tees rivers which compose the book’s title. This interplay between industry and environment forms a central tension within the anthology, reflecting both resilience and transformation.

The inclusion of songwriters such as Sting and Mark Knopfler blurs the boundary between poetry and lyric, emphasising the North East’s deep-rooted oral tradition. The anthology is further enriched by editorial contributions from figures like Andy Croft, Rodney Pybus, and Alan Myers, whose introductory essays offer critical insight into the region’s literary history, its modern revival, and its cultural figures.

Across the collection, recurring themes of identity, belonging, loss, grief, and social change emerge, often articulated through regional dialect and a nostalgic tone. The cover artwork, created by wood engraver Hillary Paynter, whose work is also displayed in Newcastle’s Central Station, visually enhances the anthology’s celebration of place and heritage.

Reviewed by Kate Bower.