Norwich-born poet Leah Larwood is set to release her debut poetry collection, Oneironaut, this October. Published by Indigo Dream Publishing, the collection became a reality after Larwood won the Indigo First Collection Competition 2024.
The upcoming collection, described as “lush, mysterious, and in tune with the night-world,” draws inspiration from dream incubation techniques and lucid dreaming. The poems explore various stages of sleep and dreams, offering readers a journey through the subconscious mind.
Oneironaut begins with the hypnagogic state, the phase between wakefulness and sleep, before moving into vivid dreams, nightmares, insomnia, and lucid dreams. The collection then progresses to the hypnopompic state, the final phase of sleep, eventually emerging into the “fertile void” of a new day.
In speaking about her debut, Larwood expressed her deep connection to the world of dreams. “Our dreams are evocative and mysterious little messages that can sometimes be ignored,” she said. “This poetry collection honours our dreaming world and gives the unconscious mind a voice.”
Larwood, who is also a freelance writer and gestalt psychotherapist in advanced training, shared that some of her poems were born from lucid dreams. “It’s even possible to come up with ideas for poems, stories, and other creative pursuits in a lucid dream,” she added.
Oneironaut will be released on October 25.