In, Through Alabaster

In this collection of poetry, 'In, Through Alabaster', Simon Staceyoffers an eclectic range of subject matter, from the mundane,(the loss of an unfinished poem on a faulty memory stick), to themonumental, (a contemplation of how the Lincoln Memorialembodies that president's myth and reality). He vividly recordsthe experience and nostalgia of childhood, particularly the leavingof it, the buying of a ring for his son's wedding and his preferencefor his wife's first, and unused, name. The architecture of Warsawand an Italian Renaissance painting, both meticulously described,sit alongside a frayed shirt collar his aged mother can no longersee, and a West Midlands canal-side walk, beautifully and lyricallyrendered. Throughout, we become aware of Stacey's curiosity andhonesty, his reverence for beauty, and his readiness to explore thedifficulties of human relationships. The influence of admiredwriters, including Elizabeth Jennings, Gerard Manley Hopkins,Tolkien and Blake, is deftly integrated, and will delight theexperienced reader. Stylistically, Stacey is a virtuoso: he smoothlytransitions between verse forms and skilfully adopts a range ofvoices and tones. The result is a serious and compelling bodyof work that strikes the reader at once with his intelligence andcraftsmanship.