Published in Issue 27 of Visionary Tongue, Autumn 2011.

This is Stuart’s long awaited second collection of poetry, charting a truly remarkable body of work from 1999-2010, packaged within a really interesting design feature, a folded a1 piece of paper! So, what you find is you need to open the collection like an ordnance survey map, and also helpfully discover that this includes a map of Southend-on-Sea complete with locations which inspired a number of the poems within!

If that wasn’t enough however, you then reach the words within; in every instance; Stuart deftly draws out the keenest observations from often seemingly mundane issues, and transmutes them by some secret alchemy into something simply outstanding. Not afraid to subtly laugh at his own condition, Stuart considerable humanity, humility and wit just oozes from each poem managing somehow to hit a chord with the reader that is not soon forgotten. Stuart’s words from the street resound, and never leave the ear of the listener.

Available from: www.estuarinepress.co.uk/words-from-the-street.html

 

Estuarine Press, 2011, Folded A1 Sheet

Review by Jamie SpracklenStuart Bowditch