V.

Harrison's niche is combining contemporary language (including obscenities and slang) with traditional poetic forms. Working class Leeds meets classicism. Harrison does this beautifully, his many fine moments well outweighing his occasional metrical or rhyme difficulties. The long title poem is a painful meditation on the speaker's self and heritage occasioned by finding his parents'gravestones defaced by obscene graffiti. Other poems extent and enrich Harrison's reflections on his working class background and painful relationship with his father. There are other powerful, moving and memorable poems in this slim volume which, dear reader, you should have if you enjoy traditional forms and devices, all in the service of a keen mind and open heart. And hunt down his Selected Poems while it's still in print.