Turning Turf: Poems and Photographs from Ireland

In Turning Turf, poet and photographer Christian Reifsteck considers themes of decay, rupture, and sacrilege, suturing, healing, and grace within the framework of the Irish practice of harvesting turf. In Ireland, harvesting turf has traditionally involved cutting sod from the bog, laying it out to dry and turning it periodically, and then burning it for fuel. The poems and photographs in this impassioned collection guide the reader into the depths of life and soul to cut, turn, dry, and eventually burn the turf contained deep within us.