A rottenness at the heart of things, mapped onto England - London and other cities, the Midlands - and various narratives, manifests via apocalyptic omens and curses, and things being upside-down; an underworld and stasis. The aromatic and romantic Medlar (Mespilus germanica, a member of the apple and quince family), is considered inedible until 'bletted', allowed to rot. The collection touches on themes of xenophobia, Brexit and hypocrisy, as well as dallying in the English hedgerows, lanes and forests, sometimes with the English poets, in pursuit of the regenerative chaos and mischief present in nature. There is a fugitive hope of flow and change, breaking out of old patterns; a quest for sweetness.

About the Author
Geraldine Clarkson lives in Warwickshire. Her work has appeared in journals inter-nationally, including Poetry (Chicago), and she has performed her poems at the Royal Albert Hall, the Poetry Society AGM, and at various festivals and other poetry venues in the U.K., Ireland and the U.S. She is the grateful recipient of several Arts Council England awards and her work is influenced by her Irish roots and years spent in a silent monastic order. She has two chapbooks with Shearsman, and a first full collection, Monica's Overcoat of Flesh, from Nine Arches Press (2020).


Book Information
ISBN 9781848618688
Author Geraldine Clarkson
Format Paperback
Page Count 88
Imprint Shearsman Books
Publisher Shearsman Books
Weight(grams) 120g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 6mm