Dr Kevan Manwaring releases new eco-poetry collection: "Erth Praze"

How do we honour the Earth while acknowledging our own complicity in its environmental crisis? This is the central question that Kevan poses in Erth Praze (Earth Praise).

The collection is the result of years of deep immersion in the natural world, with many of the poems shaped by Kevan’s experiences since moving to West Dorset, drawing from his time nature-journalling at Kingcombe, long-distance walking along the Wessex Ridgeway, and wild-swimming along the Jurassic Coast.

Erth Praze is both a local tribute and a global reflection. While deeply rooted in the soil of the South West, the collection also features poems inspired by travels through Cornwall, Brittany, Ireland, Vienna, and Turkey.

Whether written during solo wild-camping trips or while crossing continental Europe by train, the poems offer a "paean to Planet Earth," capturing both the beauty of the landscape and the "pain and hope of being alive in perilous times."

“I have long been inspired by my landscape, especially since moving to West Dorset," Kevan explains. "I wanted to celebrate the rich natural heritage and inspire readers to explore. It pays forward to future generations.”

The collection also serves a philanthropic purpose. A dedicated member of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, Kevan is using the release to support local conservation efforts. A portion of the proceeds from the collection helps fund the Trust’s work in protecting the wild places that inspired the poetry.

The 64-page volume is illustrated in full colour, bringing a visual dimension to the lyrical explorations of embodied situatedness and ecological responsibility.

Erth Praze is now available at the Kingcombe Visitor Centre, and can be purchased online via Golderndark Titles.