Angel Voices: The poetry of Scott Hastie

Angel Voices: The poetry of Scott Hastie

No surprise that Scott Hastie frequently acknowledges the influence of both Rilke and Kahlil Gibran on his work. For surely no writer, alive anywhere in the world today, can more convincingly claim to be their natural successor. Here in Angel Voices we have a sublime collection of his exquisitely lyrical, inspirational poetry, now also released for the very first time in a comprehensive and substantial hardback edition.

Angel Voices is by far the most substantial collection of Scott’s recent poetry to date, featuring over 40 new poems never before seen, either in print or on the net… This key title builds much more on the mature poetic voice that first began to emerge in his previous title Meditations and additionally features ALL recent readers favourites as showcased on his highly popular website: http://www.scotthastie.com.

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Scott Hastie is a full-time Scottish born writer, based in the UK – he lives and works in tranquil surroundings in the English countryside, some twenty miles north of London.

Primarily a poet, Scott also has had one novel – ‘Reunion’ published, as well as several lavishly illustrated local history books. Over ten of his books remain in print today – principally his two early signature volumes of poetry: ‘Selected Poetry’ & ‘New Poetry’, first published in the 1990’s – together with showcases for newer equally distinctive work, such as the beautiful and soulful ‘Meditations’ first published in the Autumn of 2013.

Scott’s current poetry is very much a positive and sparkling affirmation of human potential, with a growing emphasis on spiritual awareness. Given the impact of this more recent output and its fast growing cross-cultural popularity around the world, a much more definitive and comprehensive hardback collection of all his latest work entitled ‘Angel Voices’ was soon brought forward for publication by Centuria in September 2014.

More recently, his recent poetic output has been re-edited and consolidated into the spiritually themed landmark collection ‘Threads’. This, with doubt, the definitive collection to date… Already widely translated and released to international acclaim in 2016. Following his recent success and growing worldwide exposure for his work, his only novel to date Reunion was released as an e book in the Spring of 2018.

For well over a decade now, the writing of Scott Hastie has attracted international attention and has been widely translated. A new collection ‘Pranic Poetry’ Scott’s first for nearly four years, was finally published in March 2020. Seemingly always destined to be released at the very beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, it really struck a chord with readers all around the world.

Hence the accelerated release of his first fully retrospective collection ‘Timeless: the best of Scott Hastie’s poetry 1990-2020’ and it’s companion volume ‘Splinters of Light: quotations from the poetry of Scott Hastie’. The planned publication of both these titles soon being advanced by six months, into the Autumn of the same year, to help satisfy the ever accelerating international demand for his work.

“It is at times like these that we need the fairest glimpses of hope, rejuvenation and a deeper understanding of the potential to realize our very best – especially in the face of such on-going adversity.” Perhaps this is why Scott Hastie’s poetry achieves such an impact and is so well received around the world.

Fortunately, it is also very easy to dip into Scott’s poetry at his highly visual and popular new web site at http://www.scotthastie.com which freely displays samples of both his already published and latest unpublished work. As a writer, Scott is very open and likes to encourage maximum participation and feedback from his readers. His web site offers the chance to post comments, both on individual pieces or more generally, if you wish… And also encourages dialogue about writing. Scott offers mentoring services to other creative writers/students around the world. He is passionate about visiting and learning from other cultures and his web site also features many fascinating photos from his extensive travels around the world.

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Review
In Angel Voices Scott has captured life around us with beautiful poetry. As wine perfects with time, so does this poet… This writer never seizes to amaze me, hitting the bulls eye again and again with another inspirational poetry collection. I would highly recommend this book for the old hand and the novice alike, because the selection of poems within are easy to read and understand. It is all quite lovely and one of the poems has already brought me to tears! This collection will be my regular night table companion, for sure!

Laura Laveglia, USA.

Angel Voices is a brilliant, moving, sensitive saga about life and the forces that empowers us. It is so true to life’s expectancy and experience of any soul, and delicately crafted in threads of the poet’s beautiful imagination and mature understanding of our universe. I highly recommend this collection of poems by a well travelled and insightful poet whose works speak beyond boundaries, and is filled with glimpse of hope, love and a blessing to share for which Scott invites us all through his angel voice to gather together in our hearts to connect, complete and celebrate our life.

Banu Bidarkund, India.

Scott Hastie’s Angel Voices is gently calling to us that the meaning of life is to be found in the detail moments of passion, of love, of enlightenment and understanding. A passing stranger in the street the glimmer of recognition and attraction, old lovers, meaningful friendships these moments of shiny pleasure stand between us and death, and give our lives joy and purpose. Scott s message, (the angels message), is to seize life when and where and while you can, in all its intricacies and glory. For The time to consolidate such moments, Often hangs by a thread. His exhortation is to ‘Burnish your day whilst you can’, before you disappear forever. This is the religion Of elevated experience, which Scott embraces fully and invites us to follow. The choice is ours: give into despair and meaninglessness, or embrace purpose, joy and bliss in spite of encroaching age and the inevitability of death. Scott makes the brave choice of optimism, and contentment to love, to dazzle in the light, If only for moments… in other words, to follow his angel voices.

Margaret Nash, USA.

There are sacred things that soothe my heart and mind when i’m troubled: pine trees whispering on a moonlit walk, geese murmuring on the water, the smell of grass when I’m lying in a field on a summer’s day…and the poetry of Scott Hastie. His words are akin to these balms, giving meaning to both the shadows and light of past, present and whimsical future. He shows us that there is worth even in our pain, if we would simply take the time to look. Beautiful. Rebecca O’Donnell, USA scotthastie.com Angel Voices is a gentle reaching out to people from all over the world by the spiritual poet, writer and artist Scott Hastie. As life often plays incomprehensible games with our fragile hearts, how easily we tend to draw to darkness and despair. Scott Hastie ever so gracefully points to ways in which we can all find moments of lightheartedness and inner joy, despite the difficulties and riddles inherent to human existence. Angel Voices is the work of a compassionate and giving artist daring to travel deep within his own heart in order to find “clues embedded in swaying shadows”. He wishes to bring these to the surface, share his own experiences with his readers, so that they can make them their own. With Angel Voices, Scott Hastie does achieve this goal in the most beautiful way.

Dr Jelka Samsom, Holland.

scotthastie.com Angel Voices captures the essence of life’s eternal quest for meaning through meditative reflections and transcendent verses that lead the reader from questions to mantras…. The new poetry featured in this book is both romantic and tender prose that touches the very depths of the heart.”

Shari- Jo LeKane Yentumi, USA.

The poems in Angel Voices are a collection of exquisite items that make up a lovely whole. Is there a theme? Yes, this time, Scott s theme is hope. For within the diversity of subject matter and seemingly disparate views, one idea emerges: we are all brushstrokes on a divine canvas, intimately bound to our fellows and integral to an emerging picture. And despite the lottery of our gifts, the thinness of our brushstrokes and regardless of being fractured by birth we are all reaching for the sun and in that reach inevitably there is an unfolding. Scott assures us that there are moorings in the melee places of rest where we are free to pause and consider life s portrait. One such mooring is the exceptional collection of Scott s poetry and I would advocate a cup of tea, a cookie or two and thee, Scott Hastie. Devour this feast and feat of words and be inspired to add a little lustre to your own brushstroke.

Wendy Waters, Australia.