Shapeshifter is a sequence of ten poems by John Hudson originally written for the small town of Saint-Clementin in Western France. Each poem takes place near an important landmark in the village such as the church, the war memorial, the mill and the bar and describes a process of change or metamorphosis such as spirit into matter, tears into stone, mind into madness or the river into daily bread. The sequence builds into a picture of daily life and the hopes and fears of people as history plays out through a rural community. The poet has performed these poems many times around the town and they have become part of the town's cultural landscape, translated into French and enjoyed by those that visit Saint-Clementin. This publication offers a broader public the chance to enjoy these remarkable metamorphoses.
