"Patrick is the voice of opposition for the 21st Century. His work demands that his audience think, and think for themselves, about the injustices of the decision makers, of history, and of contemporary society, a rare quality in the art and literature of today. Much of his material is dark, and this collection is no exception, but it is also imbued with an eternal sense of hope." Rachel Trezise Domestic abuse against men is such a taboo subject ...men who are suffering from it are embarrassed to broach it, causing them to feel isolated and ultimately causing them to remain in their same vulnerable position. Patrick's poetry does anything but. It's harrowing, compelling and psychologically acute... juxtaposing the cruelty of domestic abuse against the pleasure of a new relationship, a technique which thoroughly engaged me as a reader and left me feeling utterly hopeful, despite the distressing subject matter: The theme is fascinating because of its virtual invisibility, and it is handled adeptly with skill and sophistication. The poems give the reader an insight into the painful effects of domestic abuse without having to resort to malice or sentimentality. Elsewhere, Patrick addresses the way children are taught at school. In a poem entitled valley comprehensive he asks, 'shouldn't education be about teaching children how, not what to think?' The Iraq war, nationalism and Elsewhere the countryside alliance come under scrutiny, material we have come to expect from a poet so rooted in Welsh socialism. But there are also a few surprises. man kind, dedicated to Waris Dirie (former Chanel model and humanitarian worker born into a nomadic tribe in Somalia, who aged five, had her genitals hacked away and vagina sewn up by her mother and another local woman), condemns female genital mutilation for cultural and religion reasons." "very strong stuff" Harold Pinter "Thoughtful, provocative and challenging, these poems engage and enrage." Peter Tatchell -- Publisher: Cinnamon Press
