The first volume in a series of compact anthologies from Seren containing diverse collections by fresh voices form Wales and further afield; includes works by Tiffany Atkinson, Zoe Brigley, Abi Curtis, Karen Goodwin, Viki Holmes, Rhiannon Hooson, Huw Jones, Paul Steffan Jones, Markus Lloyd, Kathryn Simmonds and Michael Williams.

Y gyfrol gyntaf mewn cyfres o flodeugerddi cryno sy'n cynnwys casgliadau o gerddi amrywiol gan leisiau newydd Cymreig a thu hwnt; yn cynnwys gweithiau gan: Tiffany Atkinson, Zoe Brigley, Abi Curtis, Karen Goodwin, Viki Holmes, Rhiannon Hooson, Huw Jones, Paul Steffan Jones, Markus Lloyd, Kathryn Simmonds a Michael Williams.

This is an exciting collection of poetry from new and emerging young writers. It presents a range of diverse and fascinating works, which have a freshness and complexity about them while at the same time staying accessible to readers.

Each poet presents around ten poems. The wide range of subject matters is engaging and ingenious, giving a great insight into the style of each one. We see the keen and sensitive observations of Abi Curtis in poems such as ‘In-betweens’ and the landscape-based visual beauty of ‘Mountain Li-Po’. In Tiffany Atkinson’s ‘The Man whose left hand thought it was a chicken’ we are led into an urban world of surreal imagery, and in her work generally her use of humour is alive and startling, with immense depth. Huw Jones’s poems are all complemented by an inventive use of language, which is also seen in Paul Steffan Jones’s collection, self-contained and concise poetry, beautifully expressed.

It is not possible to mention every poet in this collection, but it must be said that the individuality of each one is remarkable, from Marcus Lloyd’s series ‘Finches and Parakeets’ to Viki Holmes’s curious and visual poems, this is a collection of truly talented poets that deserves to be read many times.

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 ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.