An entertaining collection of 46 diverse poems, being the tenth volume of poems by a popular poet about a sparkling array of modern-day and historical colourful characters taken from all corners of the world. Shortlisted for the T S Eliot Prize 2005 for the best new collection published in the UK in 2005.

Casgliad difyr o 46 cerdd amrywiol, sef degfed cyfrol bardd poblogaidd am arddangosiad llachar o gymeriadau cyfoes a hanesyddol lliwgar wedi eu tynnu o bob cornel o'r byd. Ar restr fer Gwobr T S Eliot 2005 am y casgliad newydd gorau yng ngwledydd Prydain yn 2005.

Shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize 2005 for the best new collection published in the UK in 2005.

Sheenagh Pugh’s new collection of poems opens with the evocative ‘Times like Places’, a beautifully structured poem on the memories of a love affair ending – ‘The worst was Aberdeen, when they walked the length of Union Street not speaking, choking up, glancing sideways at each other, but never at the same time.’ This whole collection has a clarity of language and structure which is a pleasure to read – the subjects portrayed require the reader’s full engagement and understanding.

The poem ‘The Man on his Back’ conjures up a curious image of a man carrying a cardboard cut-out of a figure on his back. Her language suggests a kind of pilgrimage or spiritual struggle, observed by onlookers: ‘He stumbled under its weight – now and then a man steadied him, a woman wiped sweat from his forehead’.

A more post-modern approach is presented in the series of poems ‘Googlisms’ based on the internet search engine results. The information acquired is turned into poetry itself. ‘In love without’ is an amusing and perceptive account of the unrequited. The more dark ‘Murderers Grow Old’ takes us to a Californian prison full of aging criminally insane. The depth and atmosphere of subject are presented in two-line stanzas, there is a quickness in the presentation, a very direct expression: ‘and maybe their dreams are tormented, with many deaths, or maybe just the one’.

The range of emotional experience is extended and varied throughout the collection, including the lovely composition ‘Nicola’s Tree'. Later we have five poems under the heading ‘The Curious Drawer’ supported by a quote from Nicholas Hilliard on the ‘The Arte of Limning’ – these poems have a curious mixture of decorative description with an old range of techniques for fine art. All of these poems are beautifully visual and poem number five is a dramatic closing work, ‘Unknown Young Man Against a Background of Flames’: ‘He fondles the chain against his bare throat, shows the ring on his hand: see I wear your tokens. I burn for you’.

This is a very varied and interesting collection to engage with on many levels – it is highly readable and rich in poetic language, taking the reader to an array of different places.

Clare Maynard

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgement should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatad Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.